Game On! 3 0
by nordiamus
Summary: Harriet Potter is back in the world she was first born in, ready for her third mission as a goddess. Chaos Game has been updated for what promise to be a long adventure among youkai and miko, and even through time! fem!Harry, MoD!Harry, gamer!Harry
1. Game On 30 Intro

Hi! I'm back with the next part of Shadow's adventures!  
like I said on my profile, while I'm not quitting writing, it will slow going since I'm in the process of buying an old house, and there is work to do in order to make it home ^_^  
Anyway, as promised, here is the beginning of Shaodws adventure among miko and youkai!  
And of course, I don't own Harry Potter nor Inu Yasha...

* * *

 **Introduction**

Truth had been the one to greet Ariana and Roy when they passed on, the god far different now that he had been healed from the faceless being he'd been.  
With golden eyes and white hair, but most of all a smile full of life, the young god seemed just as grateful to the young goddess now as the day she'd healed him.  
"We've been waiting for you! Everyone is really satisfied of your work in Hagaren, and mother has been looking forward to seeing you again!"  
"Mother?" Roy mouthed  
Ariana shrugged "Well, Life did call Death my brother, and you are now considered her brother, so I guess that it would make Knowledge Truth's mother."

"Indeed it does." an azure haired, golden eyed elf-like beauty agreed "It's a pleasure to see you again, Shadow..." she turned toward Ariana's husband "I guess you would have to be Light to go with our naming tradition..." she added with an amused smile  
"I like it!" Ariana recognized Chaos, one of the gods she was the more familiar with "A hit-man as god of Life with a name like Light, it's fun!"  
"Not everything is made for you to have fun." Order sighed, before turning to greet the two newcomers "Still I guess you do need a name, and Light is good as any other, if you're alright with it."

Roy considered it a bit, and shrugged "It's good as anything else. After all, I am going to follow the _bambina_ around, so if she's the Shadow, I can be the Light."  
"So," asked Knowledge "Are you staying for a while?"  
The couple shared a glance.

Ever since her first life as Harriet Potter, Shadow had directly gone back to life as Sawada Kazami, growing up as a mafia leader and falling in love with Renato Sinclair, then after dying young, had immediately been reborn as Ariana Elric.  
As a goddess which task was to help heroes meet with their destiny, she had lived several good life in the Mortal Realms – and while she had loved each of her life, taking a break for a while and getting to know better her fellow gods and goddesses would be good.

Time doesn't really flows in the Immortal Realms, so it would be hard to say how long the couple stayed – but they did take advantage of their vacations, visiting in Death's Islands, and spending quite a bit of time with Knowledge.  
The goddess was grateful, as Shadow had healed one of her secondary deity, Truth, which she viewed as her own child. Realizing that one of her children had been hurt by his siblings hadn't been easy for the goddess.

Science, Learning and Teaching had been harshly punished, the three young deity forbidden from gaining any new powers and responsibilities for the next ten millennium – and worst, forbidden from taking part in Chaos' latest endeavor in allowing the immortal beings in the Mortal Realms like he'd managed with Shadow and Light by temporarily restricting their powers, something all the deity were looking forward to.  
The three punished gods had found no help from the other major deities, as Truth weakening had caused all of them problems with taking care of their own jobs' in Truth's world.

¤.¤.¤

The time spent in Death's Island, Shadow spent mainly visiting two men that had, against all expectations, learned to respect each other in death – James Potter and Severus Snape.  
Both had decided against going back in the reincarnation cycle, preferring to wait for Harriet Potter to succeed in her self-assigned task: saving Lily Potter's soul from the Purgatory where she had been thrown as payment for saving her daughter's life. As such they spent their time in the after-life keeping an eye on her progress in the Mortal Realms, and had met people from all her previous life thanks to that - or rather, James had met them, and Severus and sulked in the background...

Of course, she also spent time with people she held dear from her other life – Von Hohenheim, her father as Ariana Elric, she had seen a few times before he went back to the reincarnation system, hoping that Fate would reunite him with his wife; she had also seen Tsuna, her twin sibling from her second life. The mafia Don had lived a long life after her death, ensuring his Famiglia's status as protectors in the underworld – and most of their friends from that life had come by to see her at least once before going back to the reincarnation cycle.  
The one friend she missed had been Luna, the blond Fae knowing she would outlive all her humans friends had progressively cut herself off from them after Shadow's death, eventually disappearing...

The young goddess also spent some time with her newest and only Disciple, Wrath. The former homunculus, who had decided to serve her in death, had already done some work while she was alive, learning about her former life, and checking over the dozen of Holy Servant she had left behind on Earth during her stint in the mafia.  
The man also got along exceptionally well with Severus Snape, which didn't surprise the young goddess all that much – and enjoyed picking at Light, something he had already demonstrated when he was still alive.

With her brother Death, she made one special trip – along the edge of the Immortal Realms, to the border of Purgatory.

Just standing there, Ariana knew she wasn't powerful enough to survive the region.  
"You aren't as far off as you think." her brother corrected softly, his red eyes full of understanding – she was one of the only people he showed any emotions to "You have progressed exceptionally fast in mastering my powers, and even if it had a negative impact on your body in the Mortal Realms, here, there are no drawbacks."  
She nodded, realizing he was right – she was a bit too used to have her power restricted, and had nearly forgotten that here, in the Immortal Realms or in Death's Islands, such restraints didn't exist – here, she had access to any and all powers obtained during her multiple life.

"By the time you've mastered my powers and started gaining your own, you'll be ready." he affirmed, squeezing her shoulder  
She smiled, silently musing that she would miss him in her new life – but Death had been quite busy, what with having nearly half a million newly returned souls to take care of, and as such, they hadn't spent as much time together as she'd have liked.

¤.¤.¤

Finally, both Light and Shadow felt ready; and soon they were meeting with Chaos, and surprisingly, Truth.  
"You've helped me quite a bit," the god explained "And I know other deities have given their input on Chaos' work, so I decided to help a bit too."  
"Or rather, he asked me to help!" a young looking goddess corrected with an amused smile "Hi, I'm Magic! I've been looking forward to meeting you!"  
Shadow smiled – having been born a witch in her first life, she had been looking forward to her first meting with this goddess too.

Magic had blood-red hair, and black eyes, and was wearing a classical witch robe, and a cute witch hat, and while right now she was looking very whimsical, she knew this wasn't a goddess to underestimate – Magic was, after all, Knowledge's sister, and one of the higher deities.  
"You were one of my chosen in your first life, but we've always missed each other since you ascended!" the goddess pouted "So when Truth asked for a boon, I thought : **this** is the occasion I was looking for!"  
"Magic was one of the greatest gift I had as Harriet Potter." Shadow admitted with a smile "Thank you."

"And _this_ is why I liked you even as a mortal! You do understand the value of the gifts you're given!" Magic nodded approvingly, letting her powers come to life in a vague of golden light that swirled gently around Shadow  
"What was that?" the younger wondered "It feels so... familiar..."

"I granted you a minor affinity for one of my holy powers. You are now **Spiritually Attuned** , in other words, using mystical energy will come more naturally to you. This is a stronger version of a gift you had, yet didn't know about, as Harriet Potter..." the goddess' smile grew "It means that while you won't be a witch in each life, you will be able to handle better the use of whichever ability you have, and more importantly, your body will handle better your holy powers, just like a priest's does."  
Light eyes widened at the affirmation – with how many times his wife had been consigned to bed-rest after having used too much of her holy powers, it was hard not to realize how much this gift was worth! He bowed toward Magic, saying as much – and making the goddess smile "My, a polite bad boy, you chose him well little Shadow." then a wink "And don't worry, Light, you are making your own reputation among the gods, you'll have a gift of your own soon enough!"

"I already received the greatest gift when Life made me her champion to allow me to follow my _bambina_." Light contradicted – his tone light, but his eyes conveying how much he believed in what he was saying  
Magic smiled, happy to have finally met the two newest gods – and most of all, that both of them were reasonable beings.  
Young gods could gain an over-inflated sense of self-worth sometimes, feeling special for having ascended, and forgetting that all the other deities were much older and much more powerful.

Finally, Magic left, and Chaos was free from working his gift – Shadow and Light now expecting the excruciating feeling that came with restricting their powers, and adapting their immortal soul to a mortal form.  
Darkness surrounded them – and when Shadow finally got used to her surrounding, she was once more alone, something she had expected as Chaos had stated it wouldn't be any fun for him if they knew all the choices the other made.  
He was Chaos Incarnate after all, there was no denying him his fun...

¤.¤.¤

Elegant handwritten words glowed a familiar AK green once more as the Game's Interface appeared...

 **[Welcome to Chaos' Game 3.0]  
[New log entrance: **Fate's update

 _welcome to the Magical-verse  
_ **Summary:** You're back into your birth world, little Shadow, but this time you'll be born in a society you've both familiar and unfamiliar with: the Japanese magical society. While in Europe most mystical species, like the Fae, distanced themselves from the wizarding world, the Japanese magical species, on the contrary, grew closer as they started to hide from the mundane world - youkai, wizards and holy people creating a unique society.  
Your role is to help young shrine maiden Higurashi Kagome grow into the legendary Shikon Miko. Born into the modern era, her dormant powers won't be found out by the authorities in charge of finding magical being when she's young, and she'll not realize the existence of the preternatural before she's thrown out into a well, and five-hundred years in the past.]

Like always, two silhouette appeared in the darkness – one child-like, the other more adult, both clear representations of the same person.  
Her future appearance.  
And this time, this was the first choice she was asked about, which she soon understood as she read the information written in glowing green letters...

[There are a multitude of species to be chosen from! Your choice will affect your whole appearance, abilities and characteristics so be choose well!

 _Note that with youkai half-breed, the strongest parent's feature are usually the one inherited  
A youkai life-expectancy spans millenia, a hanyou will live several centuries, and a human with mystical powers usually live well into his first century._

 **\- Inu Youkai:** +4 Strength, +3 Wisdom every decade  
 **\- Ookami Youkai:** +4 Strength, +3 Agility every decade  
 **\- Kitsune Youkai:** +4 Agility, +3 Wisdom every decade  
 **\- Tengu Youkai:** +4 Intelligence, +3 Wisdom every decade  
 **\- Ryu Youkai:** +4 Strength, +3 Intelligence every decade  
 **\- Shika Youkai:** +4 Endurance, +3 Agility every decade  
 **\- Neko Youkai:** +4 Agility, +3 Luck every decade  
 **\- Nature Spirit:** +4 Charisma, +3 Luck every decade  
 **\- Human Priestess/Priest:** +2 Wisdom, +1 Intelligence every year  
 **\- Human Witch/Wizard:** +2 Intelligence, +1 Wisdom every year  
 **\- Hanyou** : +2 Main youkai Characteristic, +1 Secondary youkai Characteristic every decade  
+1 Endurance every 5 year

 _youkai and hanyou gains +1 to all Characteristics every five years, humans every year and spirits every decade._ ]]

After shifting between the different options for a while, spending quite some time wondering whether to chose the Tengu – if only to have wings – or even whether to become at witch once more, the young goddess decided that with all the canine youkai she had seen during her first reincarnation, and with Luck having admitted to meddling for these encounters, she had better chose one of them.

In her two previous life, her speed, be it mental or physical, had been her greatest strength. But even weak youkai had been far stronger than her when she encountered them in her second life – with the way she tended to built her abilities, maybe choosing a race with natural Strength would help her not to fall behind too much.  
And well, while she liked dogs well enough, with her loyal dogfather, and easily befriended foxes, be them animal or youkai – there was just something that called to her in the idea of being a wolf.

She would be an Ookami.

As soon as her choice was made, her appearance changed to reflect it – and by the human looking representation's side, was now her animal from.  
The first thing she realized was that her eyes were golden, while her fur and hair were snow white – something that couldn't be changed. Hereditary traits, then.  
Then, she remembered that even reincarnated as a human, nearly all of the youkai she had met had soon recognized her for what she truly was – a holy being.

She was going to be born wearing the Alpha Mark designing her as an adult in a family that would probably sense that she was a goddess.  
This life hadn't even started that it already was strange...

 **[Main Characteristics/500  
Strength**– 11 _(physical attribute, influence your damage output)  
_ **Agility** – 14 _(physical attribute, influence your speed and flexibility)  
_ **Endurance** – 7 _(physical attribute, influence your life points and defense)  
_ **Intelligence** – 11 _(mind attribute, influence your theoretical comprehension and learning speed)  
_ **Wisdom** – 10 _(mind attribute, influence your metaphysical comprehension and aptitude)  
_ **Charisma** – 10 _(general attribute, influence how people see you)  
_ **Luck** – 10 _(mind attribute, influence your loot, critical chances and random encounters)_

 _unspent: 5  
Gain rate: 2 every 5 level and 1 of each every five year  
note that soul-title, soul-mark and unlocked perk existing have all been applied_

 **Secondary Characteristics/5000*  
** _(these are calculated according to your main characteristics but can be changed by some bonuses)  
_ **Health Points HP: 390*  
** Health Regeneration Rate: 3 per minute **  
Youki Points YP: 450***  
Youki Regeneration Rate:4 per minute **  
Reiki Points RP: 510***  
Reiki Regeneration Rate: 5 per minute **  
Shield Point: 245**  
Shield Regeneration Rate: 4 per minute

 **Defense: 43**  
 **Damage: 61  
Speed : 55  
Critic: 56  
Mind Power: 52  
Mind Speed: 53  
Mind Critic: 51**

 _(note that HP, YP, RP and SP can go up to 50000 and your SP are calculated in relation with your soul-mate's Main Characteristics)  
would you like to make any change?]_

She took a moment to bring up her weakest characteristic, pushing her Endurance to 10, then upped both Strength and Intelligence to 12 with her two remaining points.

 **[Skills  
** _ **Warning!**_ _Several of your Skills are all ready at level max. You can reset them – each Skill reset will grant you +1 Beginner Skill Tome, and the Skill itself will be marked as a Legacy Skill, slower growing but unlocking more powerful Abilities_

 _(note that Language Skill can't be reset)]_

Shadow nearly immediately accepted the option – while her role was to help others, stagnating wasn't really interesting, and any option to improve was as such to be taken.  
And anyway, gaining back the skills lost would only be a matter of patience, training and time, things she had in spades.

 **[Skills  
** ( _your Legacy Skills have been taken into account, note that Battle Related Skill are automatically reset at the start of a new game, except for the Strategy Skill)_ _ **  
General Skills:**_ _  
_ **Language:  
** \- beast tongue: 100  
\- English: 100  
\- Latin: 100  
\- French: 84  
\- Japanese: 100  
\- Italian: 100  
\- Chinese: 100  
\- Korean:79  
\- Amestrian: 92  
\- Xingese: 90  
\- Xerxesian: 72  
\- Ishvalian: 65  
 **Communication: 39/100**  
\- Negotiate: 1¤  
\- Persuade: 1¤  
Intimidate: 1¤  
Bluff: 99  
Seduction: 91  
 **Awareness: 1/100**  
\- Meditation: 1¤  
\- Intuition: 1(¤)  
\- Empathy: 1(¤)  
 **Survival: 60/100**  
\- Lock-picking: 90  
\- Pickpocketing: 83  
\- Parkour: 1(¤)  
\- Discretion: 1¤  
\- Wild Life: 87!  
\- City Life: 96  
 **Elemental Affinities: 56/100**  
\- Fire: 75*  
\- Water: 48*  
\- Earth: 54*  
\- Air: 52*  
\- Light: 40*  
\- Darkness: 65*  
\- Ice: 41**  
Storm: 43**  
Lightning:39**  
 **Past Life:**  
\- Hallows: 50/100*  
\- Metamorph: 77/100*  
\- Night Flame: 68/100*  
 **Knowledge Skills:**  
 **General Knowledge:**  
\- Earth: 66  
\- Amestris: 73  
 **Mystic Knowledge: 1/100**  
\- Runes: 1¤  
Arithmancy: 1¤  
Rituals: 1¤  
 **Scientific Knowledge: 92/100**  
\- Mathematics: 93  
\- Physics: 92  
\- Chemistry: 88  
\- Biology: 97  
\- Mechanics: 90  
 **Fighting Skills:**  
 **Range: 1/100**  
\- Close: 1  
\- Middle: 1  
\- Long: 1  
 **Weapon: 1/100**  
\- Unarmed: 1  
\- Blunt: 1  
\- Blade: 1  
\- Throwing: 1  
\- Shooting: 1  
 **Ground: 34/100**  
\- Strategy: 1¤¤  
\- Battle Sense: 1*  
\- Killing Intent: 1*

 _Unspent:10  
Unspent: 12 Beginner Skill Tome (120 SP)  
Gain rate: 1 every level, naturally while using the skill_

*mark slow growing skills  
** mark very slow growing skill  
¤ mark Legacy Skills (slow growing)  
¤¤ mark Legacy Skills (very slow growing)  
(¤)mark Legacy Skills (normal rate)  
! mark fast fast growing skill  
! mark very fast fast growing skill

 _note that most skills are automatically translated in active or passive Abilities ranked out of 10 and evolving every 25 skill point : basic, beginner, intermediate and advanced Ability]_

Here, the goddess didn't waste any time putting most of her points in all her **Fighting Skills,** the one category slower to grow than the other as a child – and the remaining skill points, she dropped into **Discretion** and **Parkour** , both useful to have during a fight as much as in normal life.

 **[Perks**

 _unlocked:  
_ _ **Chatter-Box 1/4**_ _(Communication 25): +1 Charisma_  
 **Survivor 2/4** (Survival 25): +3 Endurance  
 **Soul Art** (Hallows 25): your link with Death has developed enough that souls and their magic have no secrets for you, +5 in all Communication and Awareness Skills  
 **Blood Art** (Hallow 50): you now know everything about blood related magic, +5 in all Mystic and Awareness Skills  
 **Shape-Shifter 3/4** ( Metamorph 75): +6 Charisma  
 **Speed-Runner 2/4** (Night Flame 50): +3 Agility  
 **Mad Scientist 3/4** (Science 75): +6 Intelligence  
 **Natural Elemental 2/4** (Elemental Affinity 50): +15 Elemental Resistance  
 **White Wolf Inheritance:** _the famous Witcher is not only a womanizer, he really does know how to use his swords_  
+2 Agility, +1Strenght every decade  
 **Dog General Inheritance:** _the old dog was a famous samourai, and so are his descendants_  
+2 Strength, +1Endurance every decade  
 **\- Canine Youkai Inheritance:** double learning rate of **Intuition** , **Empathy** , **Parkour** and **Wild** **Life** , divide learning rate of **City Life** and **Meditation**

 _available:  
_ **\- Natural Genius (1/2):** double rate of improving skills when learning about them (locks **Hard Work Genius** , unlocks **Natural Genius 2/2** )  
 **\- Hard Work Genius(1/2):** double rate of improving skill when using them (locks **Natural Genius** , unlocks **Hard Work Genius 2/2** )  
 **\- Jack of All Trade:** all skills' learning speed is now normal, but no other modifier can ever be applied  
 **\- Polyglot:** double learning rate of all language, you can start learning new language simply by hearing them  
 **\- Carnivore Instinct:** double rate of learning for **Wild Life** , **Close Range** and **Unarmed** skills  
 **\- Pack Instinct:** double rate of learning **Communication** skills (locks **Loner Instincts** )  
 **\- Loner Instinct:** double rate of learning **Survival** skills (locks **Pack Instinct** )  
 **\- Eye of the Storm:** double learning rate of **Meditation** , **Mid Range** and **Blade** skills (locks **Berserk** )  
 **\- Berserk:** double learning rate of **Parkour** , **Killing Instinct** and **Unarmed** (locks **Eye of the Storm** )  
 **\- Song of Ice (1/3):** +10 to Physical Resistance and Spiritual Resistance (locks **Song of Fire** Perk)  
\- **Song of Fire (1/3):** +10 to Elemental Resistance and Poison Resistance (locks **Song of Ice** Perk)  
\- **Faster than the Wind:** unlocks **Shadow-Step** Ability (progress scaled on **Parkour** skill)  
\- **I am the Night:** unlocks **Shadow-Blending** Ability (progress scaled on **Discretion** skill)

 _Available: 1  
Gain Rate: 1 every 10 level_

 _note that a skill learning rate can only be doubled twice over the normal rate_

 **Previous Life Perks**  
 _unlocked:_  
\- **Black Inheritance:** unlocks Metamorph skill and ability  
 **\- Vindice Inheritance:** unlocks Night Flames skill and ability  
 _available:  
_ **\- Xingese Inheritance:** unlocks Water Manipulation +5 (enhance Wisdom, you can shape and control your element)  
 **\- Cretan Inheritance:** unlocks Air Manipulation +5 (enhance Agility, you can shape and control your element)  
 **\- Ishvalian Inheritance:** unlocks Fire Manipulation +5 (enhance Strength, you can shape and control your element)  
 **-Amestrian Inheritance:** unlocks Earth Manipulation +5 (enhance Endurance, you can shape and control your element)  
 **\- Truth's Inheritance:** unlocks Blood Manipulation +5 (enhance Intelligence, you can shape and control your element)

 _Available: 1_

 **Alternate Life Perks:**  
 _unlocked:_  
\- **Ravenclaw Inheritance:** +1Intelligence, +2Wisdom every decade  
 **\- Curtis Inheritance:** +2 Agility, +1 Intelligence every decade

 _Available: 0_

 **One-Tail Perk:**  
 _(as a youkai your power range is classed from one-tailed to nine-tailed, at each new tail, you'll unlock one perk to be chosen)_  
 **\- Poison Fang:** all your attack can be enhanced by your own poison, unlocks **Poison Resistance** as a fast learning Fighting Skill (inherited from father)  
 **\- Fox Fire:** you can create real or illusionary flames, unlocks **Elemental Resistance** as a fast learning Fighting Skill (unlocked from alliance with Kitsune)  
 **\- Born Hunter:** your powers are more efficient against corrupted beings, unlocks **Physical** **Resistance** as a fast learning Fighting Skill (inherited from mother)

 _Available: 1]_

Here, of course, Shadow took her time – and decided that the **Hard Work Genius** perk had served her well in her previous life, and as such settled for it.  
As for her **Past Life** Perk, while she was surprised by the way Chaos' Game had translated her Alchemy abilities, she understood that, like her Night Flame had been, they were far too powerful and versatile abilities to be given out as they were, which probably explained their change into Elemental Manipulation.  
In the end, she settled for **Truth's Inheritance** , guessing that her **Blood Art** would fasten her learning rate with it – she had hesitated quite a bit, especially since she had a quite high **Fire Affinity**.

The **One-Tail** Perk had been a surprise – but after reading the description she guessed it was similar to the Tiers Perk in her second life, or the Class Perk in her third one... Finally, she settled on the **Poison Fang** Perk, even if all three perks had been really tempting.  
As soon as the Perk were chosen, her stats were updated, leaving her quite impressed, since she never had so high starting characteristics – but then again, she was starting what should be a much longer life than her previous ones, and was going to be from a specie she'd never been before.

[ **Soul Imprint** activated  
 _Faded Scar_ (+2 Intelligence, +1 Wisdom)  
 _Alpha Mark_ (+2 Strength, +1 Agility)  
 _Soul Mark_ (+2 Charisma, +1 Wisdom)  
 _Blood_ _Mark_ (+2 Intelligence, +1 Wisdom)  
 _Hand-fasting Mark_ (+2 Luck, +1 Charisma)  
 _Automail Scars_ (+2 Strength, +1 Endurance)]

[ **Soul-Bound Titles** activated  
 **"Kitsune's Friend"** you have been marked as a true ally by the foxes  
 _+1 Agility, +1 Charisma, +2 Luck_  
 **"Two are One"** unlocks shield in secondary characteristics  
 **"Scarlet Philosopher"** all your regeneration rate are now enhanced by your **Blood Affinity**  
 **"Alpha"** _+1 Strength, +1 Agility, +2 Charisma_

 _note that the_ _ **"Kitsune's Friend"**_ _title unlocks more options to a youkai and the_ _ **"Alpha"**_ _title has been unlocked by becoming a youkai and completing a coming a age trial]_

[Characteristics updated!]

 **[System log:** please note that Soul-bound items will be added to your Inventory upon birth and Soul-bound familiar will find their own way to you in the first week]

 **[Character's Creation Complete! Let's Play!]**


	2. Game On 30 I Before the story

**Chapter I: 1912-1981 Before the Story**

While she had met a few Youkai in her second life, the young goddess didn't know all that much about them.  
The first thing she learned in this new life was that Youkai were born, and spent their first few months, in their animal form.

She was born not long before what would later come to be called the Great War, then World War I, in Eastern Europe. Her mother, the white wolf Daiyoukai Blanche de Rive, was a renowned Huntress, as those who specialized in hunting down corrupted beings were called – and because of this reputation, had been hunted in turn when corrupted youkai, more monster than beast, had realized that she was expecting.  
Blanche de Rive gave birth to a daughter and a still-born son, and spent the last of her life-force protecting the new-born.

By the time Padfoot found his goddaughter, the newly born pup's white fur was tainted red by her mother's blood, and the youkai that had just killed the beautiful white wolf were turning their attention toward her daughter.

Her father hadn't known that Blanche was expecting – the white wolf, unexpected daughter from a one night stand between a witcher from another reality supposedly infertile and a wolf youkai had never shown any signs of being fertile herself. Both youkai, while quite fond of each other, had a very free relation, each being very independent, and could go for years sometimes without seeing each other.  
He was in Japan when rumors of a pregnant Blanche reached him, and of her assailants.

Even for the famous Sesshoumaru Taishou, one of the four leader of youkai in Japan, crossing half the world took a bit of time.

He arrived just in time to see a young black Grimm pup bearing the feeling of a holy servant rush toward the body of the one of the few female he'd loved and respected – or rather, toward the small pup she had been protecting even in death. The corrupted youkai advancing upon both pups were taken care of with one careless snap of his gigantic maws, and he slipped seamlessly in human form, approaching cautiously.  
The Great Dog's nose easily identified the pup's as Blanche and his daughter, which in and of itself was a miracle he hadn't expected.  
But a closer inspection of his pup held even more unexpected results.

Under the blood, two red lines marred her face – the same line he proudly bore, proclaiming him as the alpha chosen by the pack he had been part of in his coming of age's initiation.  
And the scent – this was a child, touched by Death, yet not by mortality.  
"Be proud, Blanche." he whispered to the dead beauty "You gave birth to a goddess." then toward his daughter "Welcome, Taishou Tsukiko. I have been waiting for you for a long time."  
With a pulse of youki, he cautiously let one of his claws line a symbol – officially welcoming the newest daughter of the House of Moon, who now sported the same blue design on her brow as he did.

Ariana – or rather, Tsukiko – had been stunned speechless when she realized who was her father.  
Or rather she would have been if she had been able to speak.  
As it was, barely born for a few hours, she still hadn't managed to stand on her four leg, so she wasn't even touching the topic of speaking just yet.

As Sesshoumaru started to build a pyre for her mother, Tsukiko decided that she had to learn how to walk, her instincts rushing her into learning – she would later learn that youkai had their first growth spur right after birth, as they had evolved in order to spent the least time vulnerable.  
Padfoot went to her help – not without quite a bit of ribbing; making her realize that right now, she was speaking the canine language; and that her human-looking father of course understood, as she saw his eyebrow rise to one of her more acidic retort to her godfather, speech coming faster than expected to her with the need to put down the annoying mutt.

She finally managed to walk somehow competently, just as her father was putting Blanche's pyre on fire. Most of her good mood at having managed the task vanished as the flames went up – and she solemnly watched as Wrath himself came to greet her mother's soul, thankful to the Disciple for the small gesture.  
This was a woman she hadn't even known, yet had given up her life for her.  
This was the second mother who sacrificed her life for her as an infant.

Feeling her mood drop, Sesshoumaru picked her and Padfoot up softly, a low reassuring growl echoing through his chest, and started to talk about Blanche de Rive to her daughter, while starting the long travel back to Japan with his daughter and familiar – there would be no rushing back with a pup to take care of, especially a motherless pup.  
Youkai parents were very protective of their children nowadays, their birthrate being far inferior to the human's one, and their numbers having drastically dwindled during the Edo Jidai. As such, Sesshoumaru once back in his estate, nearly put it into lock down, only close family and trusted family friends being admitted in.

Tsukiko grew quite fast during the first few month, as was normal for youkai, and when she finally managed to take her human form at six month, she already looked like a five year old. She then completely stopped growing up, to her frustration.

"You should be proud." her father had commented "The first growing spur is to age you to an age at which you are capable of defending yourself, while still enjoying your childhood. Having stopped growing so young is a sign of power."  
"I know." the young wolf admitted "But it's still annoying being so small!" a groan "I've been looking like a five year old for decades, and by the look of it, I'll still be looking like a child when I'm sent to the first youkai course of Mahoutokoro..." she protested "Most of the other youkai will be looking like they're at least the double of my age!"

This was true, of course.

Most youkai were sent for a first period of study of ten years at Mahoutokoro, which also was the main wizarding school in Japan, when they were in their fifties, in other words, children. They then came back as teenagers during their first century, and finally a third time, whenever they wanted, as adults, generally between three century and a millenia.  
The aim was to encourage the younger generation to meet magical beings, be they youkai, priest and priestess, or witches and wizard – all in the aim of unifying all the magical being of Japan.

This was a policy that had started around the time they all decided to retire from the mundane world – first the youkai world, then the wizarding word, and finally, even the holy servants had come to understand that they didn't have a place anymore in the normal world.

Humans didn't want to acknowledge that the preternatural was by their side day by day, and they were far too numerous to wage war against without heavy losses.  
As such they had decided to retreat behind wards and other enchantments, just as their brothers had done around the world, some going as far as migrating to alternate world and pocket realities.

¤.¤.¤

Before going to school, of course, there was one important thing to be done – something Sesshoumaru had been pushing back for years.  
The official presentation of his only daughter and heir to their society.  
Something which, as one of Japan's four Lords, implied a lavish party, and lots of important people – everything he despised, and that his daughter didn't like much more.  
On the night of October 19th 1962, for her fiftieth birthday, all of Japan's influential magical being – and even a few from farther away, or even some non-magical – were assembled in the Taishou's main ballroom, wearing their best outfit and most expensive jewels.

As her father's heir, Tsukiko had started her training as soon as she was able to take her human form, knowing she would always have people coming after her and would always be expected to be the best.  
She was as such wearing a formal outfit made for a warrior rather than a young girl – a seven-layer acromantula, or rather kumo youkai silk kimono and hakama, the outer-most layer white and hand embroidered with her Houses' colors and traditional depictions of Inu. Her hair wasn't done up in any elaborated style but left freely flowing, just like her father, enhancing the likeness between them and proving her worth as a warrior.

And as the guests were mostly there, finally came the moment where she was formally introduced, all attention turning toward her – and she quickly stomped on a small bout of stage fright as she answered her father's call and faced all of the people looking at her with a panel of emotions in their eyes, Padfoot proudly standing by her side, his fur clean and brushed, wearing Chaos' wheel and the House of Moon insignia around his neck.  
But all of this was nothing to the realization she had that when she entered he room, the familiar heartbeat of Light had sped up – an that could mean only one thing.

Her husband, the man that had managed to ascend into godhood only to follow her from one life to the other, and that she hadn't seen until now, was here.  
She started to look around discreetly while answering the multitude of well-wishers, be they truthful or not – eventually catching up her father's attention.  
"What is going on, Tsuki-hime?" he asked in a lull between two guests

She blushed slightly at having been caught, then simply designated her wrist, where the wedding tattoo pulsing slightly was a silent witness of the fact her husband was alive "He is here."  
Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow – while he already knew his daughter had found her life-mate literally life ago, it didn't meant he wouldn't take advantage of his right as her father to torture – er _talk_ with the boy.

" _Bambina_."  
Tsukiko's face lightened up at the appellation – then she laughed.  
"You're even smaller than me!"

And just as she had said, the youkai, while he clearly felt older than her, did look even younger than her, looking like a big two year old, or a small three year old – Sesshoumaru felt grudgingly impressed.  
"Damned growing up to an age you can defend yourself at..." grumbled the dark-red haired, green-eyed youkai "I've spent decades trapped into a toddler's form! Of course I can defend myself in it! It doesn't mean I enjoy it..."

"At least this time you know you'll grow up eventually." Tsukiko smiled, lightly touching the fang hanging around his neck – a wolf fang amulet that had once upon a time acted as a temporary reprieve from his curse "So, who are you here..." she took a sniff "You smell like..."  
"This is Shippou's elder." Sesshoumaru commented, having recognized the scent too "Kin Ryoichi, of the House of Leaf."  
"That I am," the kit confirmed, bowing in front of his lord "I am honored."

"Your father does speak quite a lot about you and your siblings." Sesshoumaru commented, in a tone that for anyone else would have seemed annoyed, yet in truth was slightly amused "How many are there by now?"  
"Six," Ryoichi answered in a long suffering tone "six in sixty years! I thought we were kitsune, not rabbits!"  
Tsukiko laughing lightly, easily discerning behind the apparently upset tone, the fondness for his family her husband felt – the man had been an orphan in both of his life after all, even if he did have an aunt caring for him the second time around.

Sesshoumaru had later informed both that while their wedding still held, he wouldn't tolerate anything less than a proper courting and eventually mating, the youkai way, for his daughter – which of course the kitsune didn't have any objection to. He loved his wife, why would he refuse her another ceremony? Not to mention that as the daughter and heir of the Lord of the West, she was a true princess – and that meant traditions had to be followed.

* * *

¤.¤.¤

* * *

As such, Ryoichi spent the months following Tsukiko's introduction to society preparing a first gift as statement of intent.

Tsukiko had laughed lightly when Sesshoumaru had announced that he wouldn't be welcome until he'd found a proper gift "Ah, but chichi-ue, he already gave me his first kill." she had stated, her hands going to the necklace where an old bullet and a chaos wheel were hanging "And even his place in the reincarnation circle. What more could he gift me with?"  
The inu lord was once more reluctantly impressed – even as a human, the man had understood the value of a courting gift, it appeared. Still, it only meant he had to find something better now that he was both a youkai and a god.

As for Ryoichi – he was thinking.

He may have been in his seventies, most of his abilities were revolving around fighting, as he took his duty as elder son of one of the generals of the west very seriously – there may have been priest and wizard specializing in hunting, but as a youkai he did consider in his duty to put down those that got eaten away by their baser instincts and let the corruption make nothing more than beasts of them.  
Sure enough, there were also plenty of corrupted humans going around – but a youkai was both a lot harder to corrupt, and a lot more dangerous once corrupted.

Once upon a time, humans' had believed them to be demon – and while that wasn't the case, their strong instincts and blood-lust made it far easier for them to descend into madness even without taking the corruption into account; as such youkai started a rigorous training from a young age, meditation being an important part of their early life.  
A youkai not in control of his emotions was, after all a risk, as much for himself as for other around him – and the more powerful the youkai, the more important it was for him to stay in control; which was one of the reasons Sesshoumaru could seem so cold to people who didn't know him.

Still, Ryoichi had a courting present to find – and more importantly, a coming of age to go through.  
While his father had been surprised when he stated his intention of taking the trial, decades earlier than what was usual, he understood as soon as he heard that not only his son had found his mate, but that it was the Great Dog's daughter, who had been born with the marking of an alpha.

¤.¤.¤

"What the hell is this shrimp doing here?" a brash brown wolf asked when Ryo arrived on the trial ground  
Another wolf, clearly his sibling, stomped on his foot "This is Shippou-sama's first born, idiot!"  
"Doesn't change the fact he's a shrimp." the first one grumbled

Ryo chuckled, used to being underestimated because of his size – while it was a well-known fact that the younger you looked after your first growing spur, the stronger you would become, it didn't stopped the natural reaction of considering someone young looking as a child and not a fighter.  
It was precisely the point of this first growing spur after all...

With a flicker of finger, he released his hold on his powers, the human appearance replaced by his more natural form – round ears replaced by elfin ones, two furry tails neatly curled on his shoulder – and flames burst at the feet of each of the canine youkai who had been looking at him dubiously seconds before.  
While it was amusing to see idiots think him weak because of his size, those people needed to realize right now his true power if they were to have a successful hunt.

Already, their eyes had widened – both for his clear mastery of **Fox** **Fire** , and for the number of tails he sported; two tails was something canine youkai gained with power, and most only gained their second tail during their first century. Ryoichi was seventy-two, yet already more powerful than most of them, they realized, as the only other canine sporting his second tail was a red vixen who was playing with illusion in a corner of the clearing while observing the scene with an amused smile.

"Glad to see you here, Ryo-dono."  
"Why do you insist on calling me that, A-chan?" the black kitsune sighed  
"Because it annoys you, of course. Beside you do call me A-chan. Which is revolting."  
"I'll stop the day you stop calling me Ryo-dono."

They had, of course, already had this talk hundreds of time – but Akane, of the Fang Clan, was his closest cousin, being barely two decades older than him. She was also, he'd realized with surprise, the younger sister of Hiraku, leader of the House of Fang, and more notably, the kitsune Tsukiko had befriended in her life as Sawada Kazami.  
Or rather, would befriend, since it wouldn't happen for several decades yet – multiple reincarnations were a confusing business like that, as they didn't really care about the flow of time...

Still, while she was rather annoying, Akane was family, and they had lived through their first hunt together, when Akane's own mother had been taken over by the corruption; this kind of events created strong bonds, and ever since, she had followed his lead in the fights they had gotten into, be they mock-fight against the rest of their siblings and cousins, or real hunt.  
And so, rather naturally, Akane fell in line behind him – and the other canine all did too, seeing the only one who could have contested his power defer to him.

The hunt in itself, Ryoichi mused, was surprisingly easy – just like Tsukiko had described, a criminal had been given a chance to go free, and their job was to hunt him within an imparted time.  
But where the odds had been stacked against them for her pack, his hunt was fair, no human had been unexpectedly thrown into their midst without knowing anything about what was going on around them, and since he'd assessed his authority from the start, the canine all acted well together.  
They caught the criminal, a thieving tanuki, within six hours, and the fight that followed was quite short – the tanuki had hoped not to be found in the time they were given, since he knew he was weaker, and as such only gave a token fight before surrendering.

 **[Challenge LV90 Complete! Coming of Age...**  
 **Reward:** +10XP, +1 Hunting Trophy  
 **Bonus Reward: (** 25+12)XP , **"Alpha"** soul-bound title unlocked (+1 Strength, +1 Agility, +2 Charisma)]  
 **[Level up!** You are now level 91!  
 _+1SP]_

"An honorable performance." the small pack was startle to realize that the one that came to greet them at the end of their hunt was no other than their lord himself "Have you decided then?"  
In mute awe, they pointed toward Ryoichi, confirming the fact he had been chosen as their alpha.  
An elegant hand turned his face upward, and two claws dug bloody trail on each side, right under his eyes, in the same pattern Tsukiko wore.

"Can you explain me why the hell the Lord of the West himself came?" hissed Akane as the lord slipped back into his true form and left them  
Ryoichi gulped at the menacing aura surrounding his cousin, then cautiously explained "Well, the reason I took the trial this early is because I've found my mate... I couldn't well court her as kid as she's already done her trial..."

Akane's eyes widened "The Moon's hime! You are courting the fucking daughter of the White Wolf and the Killing Perfection! No wonder he came himself!" she stated, voice rising in shock  
Soon, all of the youkai of the group were staring at him, with both disbelief and respect in their eyes "Wow. You know, it takes a special kind of courage to court the only daughter of a youkai so powerful. You've got guts, alpha." the only inu of the group stated, amused  
"That, or you're crazy." the same brash wolf that had been ready to challenge him earlier laughed, animosity forgotten during the hunt

"I heard she went on her first hunt in her twenties!" an awed fox stated – an if it was true, which Ryo didn't doubt, he was right to be impressed, most yokai didn't attend their first hunt until they went to Mahoutokoro  
"Well she is a natural-born assassin." he couldn't help but brag about the _bambina_ he loved  
"But then again so are you," Akane sighed "it's either a match made in heaven, or hell."

The day following his coming of age, Shippou had taken his son to Totosai – the old weapon-smith, while quite barmy looking was still the best in his craft, and quite fussy about those he crafted his weapon for.  
"Hnn. You don't really favor the sword." the craftsman quickly realized "Gifted with fire and... healing. Peculiar combination. Open wide!"

With a snap, two of the kitsune's fangs had been snatched – he sent a withering look at his father, that was laughing so hard he was nearly crying; to think the man was a renowned general! If people could see him in his everyday life, they would soon be disillusioned with the fox; he may be able to look serious when needed, it wasn't his true temper...  
"I knew not telling you about it would be worth it!" Shippou was laughing, absentmindedly dodging the flame rushing toward him – he was used to his elder son untimely attacks after all; the kit had such a fiery temper!

"Could you avoid putting my shop on fire?" the old weapon-smith snapped, before huffing "Kitsune..." he grumble, pushing them out of the door "Out! Come back in three days!"  
"He didn't even say what he was going to make..." Ryo pointed out  
"That's Totosai for you." his father shrugged "He's the best, but he's also very eccentric. Still don't worry, he knows what will fit you."  
"How can he?" Ryo asked "I'm not even sure I know what fits me. I'm more used to firearm, after all... And well, I've got Leon for that." he stated, his chameleon familiar flicking his tong in acknowledgment when he heard his name

Three days later, a very satisfied Totosai was welcoming them back into his shop – after threatening of killing them if they played with fire while inside...

Ryo stared at the blades silently impressed – while outwardly they didn't appear all that impressive, he could feel the power humming just beneath the metal, calling to him. What was even more surprising was the nature of the call – one called to his flames, which wasn't that surprising since between **Fox Fire** and **Fire Manipulation** , he was quite aligned with the element; but the second blade called, more unexpectedly, toward his **Sun Flames** and **Healing Art**...

This wasn't a blade made to kill.

"I see you've realized, then." Totosai commented with a self-satisfied smile "It has been a long time since I've had cause to craft such a weapon."

[Leveling-weapon **Sun Blade (Lv1)** received: +3End, +10 defense, +1 to all healing done and received  
Leveling-weapon **Star Blade (Lv1)** received: +3Int, +10 damage, +1 Fire damage]

Ryoichi raised an eyebrow – while the stats of the new weapon were pitifully low, they were leveling-items, and by the time he'd raised them to his own level, they would be irreplaceable. No wonder Tsukiko always used FuurinKiba, the coming of age tanto given as a repayment for a life debt.  
If it had been made by someone even only half as talented as Totosai, it must have never found its match during their life as human.

The two large-bladed knives easily slipped into the hidden sheath built in his boots, which had until now been empty, and he bowed deeply toward the weapon-smith.  
"Ah! So you do realize their value after all, little godling!"  
He wasn't surprised Totosai had noticed – while it took a life and death situation for regular youkai to notice, powerful ones always seemed to realize that he lacked the scent of death. Among youkai, old meant powerful – and even if he looked senile, Totosai was very old.

Suddenly, he was struck by an inspiration, and turned toward the craftsman...

¤.¤.¤

December was just starting when the Taishou household heard word from Shippou's son again – Ryoichi's idea had to be worked on a bit, and he spent quite a bit of time with both Totosai and Talbot working on the project.  
Because they had taken such an interest with Ryoichi's idea, they helped him – and tagged along to the lord's estate for it's presentation.

Seeing both craftsmen so eager to work on something intrigued Sesshoumaru, even if it wasn't immediately apparent – at their age, they didn't take an interest in things all so often, having already seen and done much. As for his daughter, her eyes were already on the hand-craft item, feeling its call as only someone attuned to both souls and blood could.  
"It's a sheath for FuurinKiba," she immediately recognized "But... It's also more." she continued, her powers gently swirling around her and getting a feel of the item

Physically speaking, it was indeed a sheath – because Ryo had just realized how valuable Kiba was, not only as a gift, but for the sheer raw potential it had, he had also realized that the beautiful weapon rarely was seen outside of a fight.  
And while in their previous life, the traditional weapon would have seemed weird – in this life, when not in the mundane world, in would be considered only natural for the hime of the House of Moon to be seen with a weapon worthy of her – and she was young looking enough that even a wakizashi would be too big for her, which meant Kiba was perfect for her.

But while the blade itself was beautiful, he remembered the grip and sheath weren't anything worth mentioning. This part of the work, Totosai had been most involved with, going to an old tree spirit he was familiar with for the wood.  
But of course, while the finished product was beautiful, glossy wood more durable than any metal thanks to its youkai origin and expertly decorated, it wasn't all that it was, as Tsukiko had easily guessed.  
"It gives off a feeling similar to the Ma no Kiba." she analyzed, referring to the talisman he'd worn life ago to get some respite from the curse he was then under, and was still around his neck even now as a memento "Since neither of us are cursed, I'd guess it must drain on our spiritual energy... but why?" she wondered – then her eyes widened "it's a storage, isn't it?"

"That it is. Just like the Ma no Kiba is for me now that I'm no longer cursed." he confirmed "Blood-locked too, which means no one could touch your weapon without your assent..." Tsukiko's eyes widened – this was getting better and better "It's a leveling-item too." around her, the craftsmen were curious about the term, but understood what he meant  
"And because of the way it's attuned to you, I'll be able to have a feel about where you are!" she concluded with awe, her powers nearly flickering in the visible specter with her excitement "No more wondering how the hell I'm going to find you without knowing how you've incarnated! Oh I should to the same for you, shouldn't I?"

She reached toward the small-looking youkai, hugging him tightly under the rest of the youkai's amusement – then realized what she'd just done and blushed lightly – an amused kitsune preventing her from getting too far away from him by catching her hand.  
"I guess your daughter approves." Shippou commented, laughter barely hidden in his voice  
"It appears so." Sesshoumaru answered blandly  
"Esh, you still sound so serious even when it's just us..." the golden kitsune complained

"Being with family doesn't mean I have to act like a ruffian." the lord answered back with an amused smirk – this was familiar banter for the two of them  
With the smell of blood, they turned their attention back to their children – Tsukiko having swiftly cut through her palm to attune the courting gift to her.

[Leveling-item **FuurinSaya** (Lv1) received: +3End, +10 defense, 1/100 SP storage, charge rate 1SP/min and 1SP/min from Kin Ryoichi]

The sheath now attuned to both Ryo and her was soon tied to her waist, Kiba seamlessly slipping in – and Ryo letting pulse his powers lightly to close the wound, even if it wouldn't have taken long on its own.  
"Well, now that your courting gift has been accepted," Sesshoumaru stated, getting up "let's get to the dojo."

While he wasn't easily cowed, having been the best hit-man in the world, then the military leader of a fifty million souls nation, the young kitsune still gulped a bit.  
Even if he was confident in his abilities, he realized he was young, very young – and this was the Killing Perfection himself that was going to test him in this spar. No, this battle, because he sincerely doubted the inu would hold out much.  
Well, at least he healed fast, even for a youkai.

Tsukiko was pouting as they marched toward the large dojo "Why are you the one having fun?" she grumbled at her father  
"I'm not having fun, I'm testing your potential mate."  
"Yes, because your not going to take advantage of the situation, nearly kill him without even breaking a sweat, and declare his performance as acceptable no matter how well he does?" she contradicted dubiously  
"This Sesshoumaru would never act like a petty bully."  
"Bah, that's not bullying, that's tough love, something you excel at. And you revert to speaking in the third person when you're telling a lie so big you perfectly know it's never gonna held."

"Don't worry musume, you're going to have plenty of occasions to play around with new people once you're off to Mahoutokoro."  
"And they better not be a bunch of weaklings," she loudly prayed "or those are going to be ten long boring years."  
The spar that followed went about as she had expected – even if Ryoichi held out exceptionally well, considering both his physical appearance and the overwhelming difference in level between the two.

Then the lord of the west formally acknowledged the black kitsune as her suitor, and they shared their youki – something that could be done either with a bite or a fang infused with youki. Since both still had the wedding mark from their first life together on their wrist, it was of course a matter of evidence to add the youki there. Since the mark was magical, it pulsed slightly, and incorporated the change smoothly.

Now, all the youkai would feel that both were engaged as soon as they felt their youki.

* * *

¤.¤.¤

* * *

Tsukiko's enrollment at Mahoutokoro, and the news that she was engaged created quite a stir.

This stir was nearly forgotten when the school official realized she was marked down for two courses by the automated registers – the _Youkai Primary Study Cycle_ , of course, but also the _Holy Servant Main Course_.  
A pureblood youkai just didn't have reiki, this had never been seen before!

Technically, holy powers, what was called reiki, were a special kind of spiritual powers – and youkai did have spiritual powers, as it was half of what made their youki, the other half being their life-force; but then again everyone had spiritual powers, even very feeble one. But reiki, this was different, that meant the person had been born blessed by the gods, and could eventually gain even more powers if she managed to gain a specific god direct approval...  
Of course, she wasn't really surprised – this was Magic's blessing at work, quite simply. Still, the idea that while alive she would be recognized as her own Holy Servant was quite amusing.

Since she hadn't expected the teachers to recognize her powers, she had never thought she would be able to take the holy servant course, so she had to think a bit about it with her father – finally, it was decided that she would follow the ten years of the _Youkai Primary Study Cycle_ as scheduled, then come back later for the four years of the _Holy Servant Main Course_.

While initially weary of her, the monks, priests and other shrine maiden soon found themselves far too curious, and were regularly found hanging around her, and some of the other youkai of her class, wanting to understand better what made her different.  
The fact that she was followed everywhere by Padfoot, who was clearly not a youkai but a holy servant of some kind himself, was the first thing they realized – and confirmation in their eyes that there was no mistake made by the school teacher's. She really must be a holy servant of some kind, no matter how strange it was.

For the youkai, those that had powerful parents already knew she was immortal, while the others, attention brought to her powers by their irregularity, soon realized the same. And that was it – youkai, as one of the species with the longest life-span on the planet, were also those that had witnessed the most the influence of deities on Earth.  
Realizing that a honest to good goddess was walking among them was interesting, but not life redefining – they understood well enough that most of her powers were useless in the Mortal Realms. Sure, she was going to be powerful, but that had already been a given with her youkai ancestry...

But bets were soon made, about which holy human would realize the truth about their hime first, and when. With how long they lived, they had to find ways to keep themselves entertained!  
It was a young priest in his second year of _Holy Servant Specialty Course_ that guessed.

Like most in the _Holy Servant Specialty Course_ , he was only a part-time student, taking care of his shrine the rest of the time, and because there weren't any true shrine maiden at his shrine, he had to take care of the mystical work alone, which was a hard task – especially given the fact that he wasn't the most gifted in terms of spiritual powers, and was successor to an old shrine, which hosted one of the most powerful wards hiding the magical beings of Tokyo.

But what the priest lacked in powers, he more than made up with his impressive knowledge.  
And so it was that one day, rather than brag loudly about his young son's latest achievement, he wandered toward the eternally blossoming sakura tree she was resting under in the school's gardens, Padfoot lazily lying on her feet.

He rambled a bit about the school's history, which wasn't really a surprise, since History was his specialty, and passion, before finally asking "So, is it allowed to ask what's a goddess doing among us mortal? And how does it works? And what kind of goddess are you? And..."  
Tsukiko laughed – now that he had started, his thirst for knowledge was taking the better of him – and her familiar barked his amusement with her, both thinking back to a bushy haired friend of hers with a passion for knowledge, back when she hadn't ascended yet...

A nearby youkai, hearing the questions thanks to his acute hearing, grumbled a swear word, as he had just lost the bet running among them. He'd been so sure it would be a more powerful student, but in the end, it was knowledge that had won.  
The priest stopped himself, realizing what he was doing, and blushed, before bowing hastily "I'm sorry, Taishou-hime! I'm rambling... I'm Higurashi Daisuke, priest of the Sunset Shrine."  
She raised an eyebrow at the name – this wasn't a coincidence, she knew as much. This man was related, one way or another, to the girl she had been sent to help. She hadn't worried too much about it until now, knowing Fate would do her job by guiding her to her charge, but it was good to finally found someone related to the hero she was supposed to help.

Still, the absence of Life Quest pointed to the fact that said hero wasn't around just yet – it was even possible she wasn't even born yet, since as a youkai her life-span was so long. But it was probably worth it to befriend the man – and he was the first among the humans to realize what she was!  
"Then it's a pleasure to meet you, Higurashi-san." she smiled "And to answer your questions... I'm Death's sister, and my job is to help the chosen one of the Mortal Realms go thought their destiny, and this is Padfoot, my familiar."  
"Uh. A sort of heroes' god then?" he mused "I don't remember hearing anything about this..."  
"Well, I am fairly young as a goddess." she admitted "I've only helped two heroes for now, so it's normal."  
"I guess even gods have to start somewhere, I never realized!" he mused, fascination clear in his voice  
"I didn't either, before I became one." she admitted easily – provoking another multitude of questions from the bright-eyed priest

This was the beginning of her friendship with Higurashi Daisuke.  
The man loved his shrine, which had been in his family for generations, his family, and had a passion for History that made him the one to go to whenever you wanted to learn more about – well, nearly anything – even if he had a tendency to ramble.  
She stayed in touch after he finished his studies, visiting often – the Shrine had already been the one her father took her to for the end of the year celebrations, she realized with some surprise.

Years went by fast, Daisuke growing older, and his son growing up. Just like his father, Mamoru was a late-bloomer, his holy powers awakening only around his fifteen birthday – but while he did his first course of studies, he decided to skip on the second, as he had fallen in love and married meanwhile, and didn't want to entangle his normal wife into the preternatural that was their daily lot at the shrine.

Daisuke had been disheartened by the decision, but respected it, even though he clearly thought that the new Mrs Higurashi was made of stern enough stuff to learn to live with the knowledge that there was more to the world than she'd known.

¤.¤.¤

While Daisuke became one of her best friends, he wasn't the only one she made of course – she had the most peculiar friendship with a formerly youkai hating shrine maiden whose powers had awoken very early when her family had been killed by a corrupted yokai.  
Orphaned at seven, an with her powers nearly out of control, she had been taken to Mahoutokoro, the large school being prepared for such cases, as it was a sad necessity – corrupted being tended to be attracted to those with high spiritual powers, be they wizards, holy servant or youkai – and while the magical government did it's best, it just couldn't be everywhere.

Saitou Saiyuri had been thrown out of her depth – suddenly learning that there was far more to the world than she'd know, and having to follow the _Holy Servant Main Course_ so young. There wasn't really a set age for the course, it being built to leave enough free time to be coupled with normal studies, but she still was the youngest student in it – while it wasn't unusual for the holy servant to be found between five and ten year old, their powers were usually discreet enough that the family was notified, and the child encouraged to come to Mahoutokoro somewhere during their early teenage years.  
This wasn't an option for Saiyuri, whose powers had been awakened violently.

Her first few months had been hell, between the nightmare and her out of control gifts, and by the end of her first school year, she had become closed off to the world, still very distrusting of the youkai and looking down upon her classmates as she was without any doubt possible the most powerful and most dedicated among them.  
Then, Taishou Tsukiko had come to Mahoutokoro.  
When the rumors about the ookami being gifted with holy powers had been confirmed, she was incensed – what were the gods thinking, giving their benediction to such... beast!

But she couldn't help but be curious too, as she was the youngest looking of the youkai, even younger-looking than herself – and when the Higurashi priest had started to become her friend, her curiosity had only grown. Clearly, the elder student seemed to have guessed something that all the youkai already knew, and he wasn't speaking, stating that if he had been able to understand, they so should they.  
And he was right, of course, and she was furious with herself for not understanding what an elder, but far less powerful priest clearly had.  
So she decided to approach Tsukiko.

"I really don't like the way you act, you know." the wolf had candidly declared within minutes "It's in your eyes. You look down on Daisuke-kun because he's not as powerful as you, you look down on me because I'm not human..."  
"What would you know? You're nothing more than a spoiled hime!" she bit out, furious that the other girl had dared criticize her like that  
"And you're an egoistical, arrogant brat." Tsukiko had replied easily "You may have a good grasp on your reiki, there will always be someone who's better than you at something."  
"Tch, don't speak as if you understand anything about reiki! You may have the potential, you know nothing about our gift!"

Tsukiko laughed "Do you really think that just because I'm not following your courses, I don't know anything about the powers I was born with? Do you think that the first miko had the luxury of a school to learn about her gift?"  
The youkai did something she seldom did – she released any hold on her aura, twin tails lightly floating and a wave of power flowing around her; Padfoot by her side seeming far more menacing than he usually did, shadows gathering around him as he looked at them as if daring them to approach his mistress.

Saiyuri eyes widened – because not only was the wolf princess far more powerful than her, or about anyone else in the school, but it also meant that not only her youki, but even her reiki was under her control in permanence. Something she, like most of the holy servant, if the stunned look around her were to be believed, never even considered.  
Even her familiar was in control of his powers!  
None of the youkai looked surprised – and neither did Daisuke.

"You know," the priest commented lightly as she reigned her aura in "I would have thought the touch of death far harsher."  
"Death isn't cruel to those who don't defy him." the young-looking youkai explained with a smile "People tend to forget that there wouldn't be a Life without Death."

It would take a lot more time for Saiyuri to realize just what exactly was Tsukiko – but their friendship started that day.  
Most of people at first glance though they hated each other, the two girl were always insulting each other after all. But Saiyuri had started respecting the princess with the realization that she understood her own powers, and respected them a lot more than most holy servant did in the main course studies.  
A lot of holy servant didn't learn to see their powers as the gift they were, and only saw them as a tool, or a burden – and those people never came back for the specialty course, more often than not fading back into mundane life.

Saiyuri understood her powers quite well – knew that they were as much a gift as a duty.  
Because Tsukiko understood her own powers in the same way, she could respect her.  
And with respect, came friendship – and little by little, the young girl came out of her shell, and learned to let go of her hatred.

¤.¤.¤

Saiyuri was far too young to be independent when she finished her main course studies, not even twelve year old yet – but with the studies finished, she could no longer stay at Mahoutokoro's orphanage.  
Both Daisuke and Tsukiko found the idea of their friend being thrown back into the public system unpalatable. But Daisuke already had one child, and his Shrine didn't make enough money to take another one. So Tsukiko turned toward her father.

Many were surprised when the cold looking lord took on a young shrine maiden as ward of the House of Moon – those were people who didn't know him. Shippou, for his part, had laughed "I can't believe you're doing it again! If your enemies had realized your weakness was young children in need of assistance back in the days..."  
The kitsune easily jumped away from the acidic, poisonous whip of youki, still laughing – but Sesshoumaru had no contradicting argument.  
Saiyuri was far from the first ward he'd taken under his wing after all...

And so, Saiyuri started her life as a ward of the lord of the west – she was enrolled in a high end mundane school, had regular lessons scheduled the evening – be they about traditions or fighting – and spend at least one afternoon every week-end helping out at the Sunset Shrine.  
By the time Tsukiko was finally out of Mahoutokoro, Saiyuri had grown up, becoming a strong, confident and elegant woman, with lush black hair falling in her back and piercing silver eyes. She was also wondering about going back to Mahoutokoro to start the second part of her studies, now that she was old enough.  
But she had one request first.

"I want you to take me on a hunt."  
Tsukiko wasn't really surprised.

While shrine maiden rarely became hunter, as their powers mostly revolved around healing, and erecting wards, there had been warrior maiden fighting against youkai once upon a time – and while she had made her peace with youkai, Saiyuri would always have a deep hatred against corrupted being for what they had done to her family.  
Fortunately, she was far too aware of the risk of corruption to ever answer the call of vengeance. But that didn't mean she wouldn't do anything in her power to prevent other cases like hers to appear.

"Why me? Why didn't you go with one of the permanent hunters?" she wondered, knowing that between being a ward of Sesshoumaru and her own powers, most hunters would have taken her in a heart-beat  
Saiyuri smiled "You're the one that saved my life, Tsuki-hime. If you hadn't incarnated in the living world for whatever reason, I would still be alone, and hating all around me. I would probably already have fallen for the corruption myself..."

"Oh, so you're aware of what I am now?" Tsukiko realized "You hadn't told me!"  
A shrug "There wasn't a point. You are what you are, and that's it, it doesn't change who you are. Even if I do feel a bit stupid about trying to tell you about holy powers now." she said with a smile – proving how far she had come from the angry young girl she had been

Tsukiko smiled happily – and acknowledged the notification that had appeared on Chaos' Game with her friend's request...

 **[Challenge LV90! Birth of a new hunter...**  
 **Goal:** take Saiyuri on a hunt  
 **Bonus goal:** let Saiyuri have one killing blow  
 **Reward:** +10XP, unlocks _Hunting System_  
 **Bonus reward:** +25XP, +1 Hunting Trophy]

She wondered briefly about the _Hunting System_ – maybe those Hunting Trophy that had been pilling up near her money in her Inventory would finally be useful... Then her mind turned back to the hunt itself.  
Her father had told her that there were rumors going around about a fallen neko from the panther tribes – a corrupted youkai that was powerful enough to have already killed two minor hunters going after him, and was apparently now followed by two other neko, this time simple wild cats.

She had planned to go with Ryoichi – between the two of them, they should be able to manage, even while keeping an eye on Saiyuri.  
It was decided.

The hunt decided on, she quickly dragged Saiyuri to the armory – no way she was taking the girl into a fight without appropriate equipment!  
"What about you?"  
Tsukiko smiled cheekily "What about me?" she asked back, outfit changing with barely a thought

The first time she had seen the _Wardrobe System_ , she had though it only accessory – then she had quickly learned to take advantage of it, a fighting outfit and a regular one always slotted to be quickly equipped, and it had even saved her life a few times, letting her fight with appropriate clothing even during unexpected attacks.  
Most of the time, the advanced Systems were locked when she started a new life – and unlocked during quests and other challenges. It was true in this life too, but she had unlocked the _Wardrobe System_ during her first hunt just like Ryoichi had, and on their first common hunt, they had unlocked the _Communication System,_ which included several form of communications which didn't exist yet, even if they would come – in other words, vocal chat, mail and instant messaging.

It was just too bad the _Party System_ wasn't unlocked yet, it would have allowed her to share Chaos' Game with Saiyuri, as the _Communication System_ would have been useful on a hunt...  
"Show off." the girl in question grumbled at her instantaneous change of outfit, not even surprised by the strange power  
"That she is." Ryoichi nodded as he barged into the armory "Hi Sa-chan, I heard you were coming along for the hunt!"

"Long time no see, Ryo-dono." she greeted back, not even batting an eye at his irruption while she was changing clothes – youkai didn't have the same concept of modesty as humans had, especially pack oriented youkai like any canine was, and as such she'd long since lost her own modesty among them  
Beside, Ryoichi was Tsukiko's mate-to-be, and clearly had eyes only for his intended.

¤.¤.¤

Tsukiko, Ryoichi and Saiyuri were soon ready, Padfoot by their side.  
The familiar, whose appearance was dependent on his level – and his level linked to his mistress – had hit a growing spur when Tsukiko gained her second tail, in her forties, and now had what probably was his adult height, even if he still had this cute disproportionate look young dogs often had. Which meant he could now do his part in hunt, when younger he'd mainly spent his time lazying around, most of the time on Tsukiko's head .

"One of the first thing to do during a hunt," explained Ryo "is to try and confine the threat within a warded zone. Most of the time, an active shrine. Wards will keep mundane people out of your way in those places."  
"When you can't, you have to set up your own temporary wards," continued Tsukiko, showing the round inscribed stone in her hand "they are weaker, and last only a few hours, but it's better than nothing. They can either be bought, or hand-made."  
"I buy mine, the _bambina_ does her own." Ryoichi stated "But it's better to still learn how to make at least one, just for safety."  
That said, the wolf's powers flared briefly, and the stone started to glow – the glow growing quickly, encasing the whole area.

"Sadly, temporary wards makes you loose the surprise effect." Tsukiko pointed out "But still, it's better than no wards, since it protects civilians."  
Saiyuri could only agree with this, given her own past.  
A malevolent youki flicked in the air around them, as if daring them to come an attack – then a scream was heard.  
The rushed in the direction it was coming from, soon coming upon the three corrupted youkai closing in on a small form.

"It's... not a child..." Saiyuri realized, surprised – she had really thought the sound was coming from a human, or a human-looking youkai  
Instead, a there was only a small cat – quite ordinary looking if it weren't for his forked tail, and the youki he emitted.  
"A nekomata," Ryoichi recognized, surprised "I haven't seen one in years, they are nearly extinct!"  
"Padfoot!" Tsukiko called, knowing her partner would know what to do  
With a bark, the dog was already jumping into the fray, grabbing the small youkai by the neck and getting it out of the corrupted ones' reach, fading into the shadows while his mistress had rushed in too, Kiba already out of its sheath.

Ryoichi hadn't wasted any time joining in, Star Blade in one hand, **Fox Fire** dancing in the other.  
Saiyuri hesitated for a bit, the vision of the monster they were fighting calling back the memories of those that had destroyed her life so long ago – then, seeing the two youkai fighting, one sporting three tails, the second two, she realized something.  
Corrupted youkai didn't look anything at all like youkai – in fact it was only because she knew they'd been neko before that she could somewhat guess the familiar forms behind the darkness covering them and the vile feeling of their youki.

To think she'd once thought there weren't any difference!

And with that, she finally snapped out of the terror that had been paralyzing her, and took the naginata she had become proficient with over her years as Sesshoumaru's ward, reiki burning through it and piercing a monster that was trying to creep in Tsukiko's back, killing it in one shot.  
The next moment, the hime was killing the second fallen neko – and jumping to help Ryoichi, that had been taking care of the strongest looking opponent, and with two of them fighting the last youkai didn't last long.  
Soon, the last youkai was dead, the corruption eating away at his body, leaving only heavy ashes behind.

 **[Challenge LV90 Complete! Birth of a new hunter...**  
 **Reward:** +10XP, _Hunting System_ unlocked  
 **Bonus reward:** (25+12)XP, +1 Hunting Trophy]  
 **[System Log:** Hunting System

The _Hunting_ _System_ is made of several tabs: the _Reward_ _Tab,_ where you can use your Trophy to unlock multiple items and amelioration; the _Index_ _Tab,_ where you'll find all info known about different enemies, the _Party_ _Tab_ , where you'll be able to create and improve hunting groups.]

 **[Level up!** You are now level 80!  
 _+2CP, +1SP, +1PP]_

[ _ **Perks**_

 **\- Jack of All Trade:** all skills learning speed is now normal, but no other modifier can ever be applied  
 **\- Polyglot:** double learning rate of all language, you can start learning new language simply by hearing them  
\- **Faster than the Wind:** unlocks **Shadow-Step** Ability (progress scaled on **Parkour** skill)  
 **\- Dance of the Sun (1/3):** +10 **Battle Sense** and **Killing** **Intent** (locks **Dance of the Moon** )  
 **\- Dance of the Moon (1/3):** +10 **Discretion** and **Parkour** (locks **Dance of the Sun** )

 _available: 1]_

Well, Tsukiko mused with a satisfied smirk - seemed like she'd gotten her wish: here was a _Party System_ unlocked! Putting the thought to the side for now she turned toward Saiyuri "So, how are you feeling?"  
"Different..." the young woman whispered, talking more to herself "I've spent all those years still afraid... And they just fell apart in one blow..."  
"This is because you are an exceptionally strong miko." Ryoichi stated easily "Reiki is much more effective against corrupted youkai than our youki. Or rather, my youki," he corrected himself – Tsukiko did have holy powers too after all "still, don't make a mistake. Even if they are dangerous, we have the weapons to fight against corrupted beings, and you have the potential to be a very skilled hunter."

A familiar bark, and a smaller meow made them realized they had forgotten about the youkai they'd saved earlier.

"So, what is he, did you say?" asked Saiyuri  
"A nekomata." Tsukiko answered, gently picking up the wounded beast to take a look at his wounds "Ryo..."  
Her fiance nodded, a blade sliding in his fingers under Saiyuri's shocked eyes – then her eyes widened in surprise as the blade, rather than hurting the cat, healed him.  
"This is the Sun Blade," he explained, seeing her surprise "It's a healing blade."  
"I thought only Sesshoumaru-sama's katana could do this!"

"Well, technically," Ryoichi admitted "I can't resurrect people like the Tenseiga does, and I'm not up to heal life-threatening wounds just yet." a small smile "But its a good weapon."  
Tsukiko smiled at this statement – the former hit-man always had a connection with healing, even before he became Life's brother, so the weapons Totosai forged for him were really quite fitting. It was quite surprising for such an efficient killer, but then again working in the taking life business meant you understood all the better the value of life, and how fleeting it could be...

"So, what exactly is a nekomata?" the shrine maiden wondered "I mean, obviously its a youkai, I can feel his youki... But its looks more like an animal than any youkai I've ever met."  
"Uh, I thought this would be covered in the holy servant course." mused Ryoichi, surprised she didn't know the reason youkai beasts had nearly disappeared – this was something every young youkai knew about  
"They talk about the Great Disappearance during the specialty course, not the main one." Tsukiko, who'd of course taken a look at the classes she'd eventually take, explained

"The Great Disappearance?" Saiyuri repeated, clearly unfamiliar with the term  
"When the youkai started to go into hiding, the stronger one, who were also the more intelligent were the first to fade from history. Within decades, most of the youkai that hadn't gone into hiding were either clans so retired they didn't think they'd need to hide, wild youkai who didn't want to stop hunting humans and mostly were but a step away from descending into corruption, and beast youkai, like our little friend here."

"Beast youkai can be quite intelligent, but there is a gap between them and Daiyoukai like us as wide as the gape between yourself and a regular dog." Ryoichi took over "And there used to be a multitude of beast youkai throughout the country. Then, in one night, all the youkai that hadn't gone into hiding disappeared."  
Saiyuri eyes widened "Just like that?"  
"Just like that." nodded Tsukiko "This is what convinced the holy servant to go into hiding too. With no hostile youkai left, they wondered how long it would take for mundane human to turn against them, since they were the last gifted beings still out in the open."

"Nowadays, the only beast youkai left are those that lived with youkai in hiding, since they were hidden by the wards. It means lots of minor species disappeared, and nekomata aren't all that common from the start." the little cat preened at Ryoichi's comment "They are part spirit, part youkai, each of them gifted with the manipulation of one element, and the oldest could even change form, going from regular cat to tiger beast in the blink of an eye."  
As if he'd been waiting for this comment, the white cat jumped from Tsukiko's arm – and by the time he was touching the ground, was a large, fluffy beast, looking more like a fox than a cat, with lightning coursing across his fur.

¤.¤.¤

Saiyuri had thought about it a bit – and by the time she was registered back into Mahoutokoro, she had started following the youkai couple on their hunt, Tsukiko soon sharing Chaos' Game with her on their hunt and the trio had quickly gained respect among youkai and other magical being alike for their work as hunters.  
And of course, she kept going to the Sunset Shrine every week-end, to help their friend, even more-so now that his son had stated his intent not to take over the role of priest – the wards of Sunset Shrine needed to be kept after all.

As for the nekomata they'd rescued – he was called Arashi, and had taken a liking to Saiyuri, becoming her partner on their hunts, the miko unlocking the **Familiar** Perk int the _Hunting System_ as soon as she had gathered enough Trophies.  
Another hunter was soon added to their small hunting party when Kiba Akane finished her _Youkai Secondary Study Course_ at Mahoutokoro, Ryoichi's cousin soon becoming a permanent fixture in their group, and a good friend with Saiyuri.

Then, in July 1981, little Higurashi Kagome was born – at the same time as halfway across the globe, little Harriet Potter was celebrating her first birthday with her family, not knowing it would also be the last, or that she would eventually grow up into a goddess.

Tsukiko was pretty sure Fate must have been laughing at her with this particular detail, especially now that she knew just how bored most of the gods were...  
While she was sincerely tempted to sneak around and spy a bit on the newly born hero, Tsukiko restrained herself, and met the little girl only several months later, during one of the far too scarce visit of Mamoru to Sunset Shrine.

"Hello Kagome," she whispered, as father and son weren't paying attention to her "You and I, we're going to live some adventure together! It won't be fun everyday, but I promise it'll be worth it!" the baby in her arms gave her a bright smile  
"You're getting mushy." her mate-to-be teased – when he'd heard that she was going to met this life's chosen one, he had of course decided to tag along

"It's weird, isn't it? To have lived a normal life all this time..."  
"It was weird, but good. But I'm not complaining about the fact that things are going to start moving forward now."  
She nodded – even if living a regular life (for a youkai) had been an interesting change of pace, she had been looking forward to meet Higurashi Kagome.

That year, she enrolled into the _Holy Servant Main Course_ – if she was going to be helping a future miko, having at least a bit of formal education on the topic could only be useful.

And Ryoichi started to grow up.  
After nearly a century stuck as an infant, the kitsune was beside himself with joy – and as soon as he outgrew his fiance, started teasing her about it, to the hime's despair and their hunting partners amusement.


	3. Game On 30 II Growing up as friends

**Chapter 2. 1981-1996 Growing up as a friend**

Between her _Holy Servant Main Course_ studies, and the hunts, years went by before she saw the young girl chosen by Fate again. And a few days after Kagome's fifth birthday, as she was climbing the steps to Sunset Shrine, a familiar notification appeared on Chaos' Interface – a notification she hadn't seen yet in this life...

 **[Life Quest! The Seeds of Belief...**  
 **Goal:** help Kagome  
 **Bonus Goal:** make Kagome accept her gift  
 **Reward: +** 50XP, +10 to a mystical skill to be chosen, Kagome gains +50XP  
 **Bonus reward:** +100XP, Kagome gains +10 to **Healing** skill  
 **Failure:** Kagome completely close herself off from the preternatural, forbidding any awakening of her gift before her fifteen birthday]

Just as she finished reading, soft whimpering reached her ears – crying.

She rushed ahead, bypassing a surprised Daisuke, and soon found the little girl, hiding in the greenery behind the shrine, and crying. "Hey, what's wrong?"  
Startled, the little girl raised her head toward her, revealing beautiful, pale blue eyes – that were for now red from crying.  
"You're here to make fun of me too, aren't you?"

"Why?" Tsukiko was talking softly, trying not to frighten more the visibly shaken little girl – and she had to keep a hold on her temper, and her powers, as she realized Kagome's arms were littered with bruises and scratches  
"It's my friends at school! They made fun of me when I said tou-san healed me! But it's true, I've seen him, when he thinks I'm asleep! And I did the same thing to the kitty I found in the garbage, and now he's all healed, and he stays at home!"  
Despite crying second earlier, the little girl temper's was rising as she remembered the reason she had been tearing up for.  
"But then, they said you can't heal people like that, and they mocked me, and told me if it was true I should be able to heal myself!"

And they hurt her – Tsukiko realized the part left unsaid. Children could really be nasty sometimes.  
"So?" Kagome asked daringly "Are you going to mock me too?"  
Tsukiko looked around – and finding one particularly nasty looking rock laying a bit away, picked it up and promptly slashed her hand with it.  
"Wha! What are you doing!" the blue-eyed child protested as blood fell to the ground, eyes wide and panicking  
Tsukiko pushed her wound toward her, expectantly "Here. Heal it."

"But... but... I couldn't heal myself!"  
"But I'm not you, I'm me. Don't you want to heal me?"  
"Of course I want to! You're bleeding!"  
"Then do it."  
The little girl, not seeing anything else to do, took the wounded hand, a bright aura haloing her own hands. The wound started receding nearly immediately – and less than a minute later, was completely closed.  
"Oh wow. It worked!" she realized, surprised at herself

"Well, you did say you healed your cat." Tsukiko reminded her "Of course it worked."  
"But... I couldn't heal myself..."  
"I can't either." answered the young youkai, finally doing what she'd been itching to and letting her own reiki rise to the surface, healing the human girl

It was both awe-inspiring and vexing – Kagome at five was already just as good at her at healing, and that without any formal training! Of course, it was easily explainable by the fact that as Death's sister, her gift just weren't made for healing, and as such learning the basics at Mahoutokoro had been one hell of a chore, but still...  
As for Kagome, her eyes widened as she realized what the other child was saying – and doing.

"You... you can heal! Just like me!"  
" I can."  
"But... the other... they said it's impossible..."  
"It's not, clearly. You can do it, I can do it, your otou-san can do it... Eh, maybe your ojii-chan can do it to!"  
"Hm... Jii-chan too..."  
"There are people who don't want to believe in things they think are abnormal. Healing like this, it's not normal."

"I'm not normal then?"  
"Why would you want to be normal? Normal is boring."  
"But they will mock me."  
"Don't talk to them then. Find yourself better friends, ones that won't be nasty to you just because you can do something they can't."  
"You're right!" the little girl realized, before asking somewhat shyly "Then, can you be my friend?"

"I would be honored."  
"Yay! uh... It means yes, right?"  
"Indeed it does."  
"Oh great! You speak like a grown up you know, it's funny!"  
The remark surprised her – she was so used to people knowing about her among magical beings that she hadn't realized that for someone who didn't know she wasn't five, she did indeed sound far older than her apparent age.

But Kagome, now revived, had already jumped to her feet, and was grabbing her hand, rushing toward the shrine "Come on, I'll show you my jii-chan! He's funny, even if his story are a bit boring sometimes..."

 **[Life Quest Complete! The Seeds of Belief...**  
 **Reward:** +50XP, +10 to a mystical skill to be chosen, Kagome gains +50XP  
 **Bonus Reward:** (100+50)XP, Kagome gains +10 to **Healing Touch** skill]  
 **[Level up!** You are now level 105!  
 _+2CP, +2SP]  
_ [Level up! Kagome is now level 12!  
 _+7SP, +2CP, +1PP]_

"Jii-chan! Look I made a friend!"  
"I see you've met Tsuki-hime, Kagome-chan."  
"Uh?" the little was puzzled "You already know my friend?" then realized "Oh! I've not introduced myself! I'm Higurashi Kagome, yoroshiku!" Kagome bowed quickly  
"I'm Taishou Tsukiko, of the House of Moon, and I'm honored to meet you." Tsukiko answered back with a bow of her own  
"So you already know jii-chan? How come?"  
"Father comes often." she stated as way of explanation

¤.¤.¤

Soon, Kagome was talking about something else, happy to have found a new friend – then as the evening drew nearer, and with it, the time for the little girl to go home, Kagome grew sad at the idea of leaving her new friend. That is until Tsukiko said that she would be coming to the shrine the next weekend...  
And so the next week, Tsukiko was back to the shrine – taking the occasion to come early with Saiyuri, and help her with her shrine maiden duty.  
"So... since you're helping me out... Does it mean I can put you it miko garb?" her near sister pleaded with big puppy eyes

It was unfair how even though the huntress was now looking much older than her, she still manage to pull off the little sister act so well – add to that the fact she loved to put her into any cute outfit that fell into her hands...  
Moments later, the three old friend were busying themselves around – cleaning the ground, checking the wards and globally doing their holy servant duty to the shrine while talking amiably between themselves.

"Mamoru called to confirm that he would bring Kagome-chan this afternoon. Apparently you're all that Kagome has been talking about all week. I think he's a bit surprised..."  
"Well, I played with him sometimes, but he always seemed to think that since I was your friend I must be a boring grown up. Kagome is much more open-minded. Did you know she called me out on my speech?"  
"Well you tend to speak a bit as if you were in a Period Drama..." Saiyuri teased, amused  
"It's not my fault I've been brought up like this..." a blushing ookami protested

"Youkai have kept an older fashion of speaking." nodded Daisuke "The reason for that are quite fascinating..."  
The two girls shared an amused look as their friend started to ramble on the historical reasons that explained why youkai tended to speak an older dialect than humans – it was quite simple in the end, because they lived longer, their language changed slower than humans... But well, Daisuke did love his stories, so they let him speak, listening with one ear while doing their job.  
That is until Saiyuri asked "Tsuki-hime... This is the same outfit you usually wear in the shrine?"  
"Yes?"  
"I didn't think I'd ever say this but... It's getting too small..."

Tsukiko could only stare dumbly as Daisuke, surprised, took a closer look at her outfit "She's right you know."  
And suddenly it hit her.  
She had been feeling different for a while after all. Since Kagome healed her...  
"I'm growing up! Wouhou!"

The other too shared an amused look as she proceeded to happily danced in the middle of the courtyard "Weren't we talking about the fact that youkai were far more old fashioned and reserved than humans?" a bemused Saiyuri whispered to Daisuke  
"Well, she has been human three times and a youkai only this once..." the priest shrugged helplessly  
"That or she really was getting tired of Ryo-dono mocking her..." Saiyuri added while the young-looking wolf finally realized what she was doing and controlled herself

From then on, Kagome and Tsukiko met every weekend – the two becoming very good friend quite fast, and Tsukiko finally growing up.  
It was a strange friendship, as Kagome seemed to understand quite well that the other girl was very different, and accepted it easily, even admitting the fact that her grand-father too was good friend with the little girl, even thought she thought old people were friend with old people.  
And one weekend, Kagome arrived with a large smile "I'm going to be a big sister!" she loudly announced to all those who wanted to listen to her – and those who didn't want too

There had been no other life quest, but Tsukiko wasn't too surprised about this – Kagome was barely six after all.  
Still, she fact the little girl now considered her healing gift as a part of her, and didn't shy from it meant something had already been changed for the better. She also encouraged the girl to listen to he grand-father's stories with her, meaning she was slowly learning about the preternatural without even realizing it.  
Not to mention that even the one Life Quest Tsukiko had completed had given a considerable boost in XP to Kagome, even if the little girl didn't realize it – and as a 6 year old, she already was level 13 rather than he expected level 6 thanks to this.

Kagome's happiness didn't last long – as a few weeks after she had learned her mother was pregnant, Higurashi Mamoru died in a car accident. The little girl become less joyful and outgoing, even if she remained very helpful toward her pregnant mother.  
There may have not been any Life Quest, and Tsukiko may have known that the child would eventually grow back to the naturally cheerful girl she was, if only a bit more mature, it didn't mean she enjoyed seeing her friend like this.

The O-bon festival had come and gone – or rather, the human one, celebrated around mid-July in Tokyo where they resided – as had Kagome's birthday, and the little girl and her mother had started to make plans to move in the Sunset Shrine with Daisuke.  
The man had insisted, refusing to let his daughter-in-law alone and pregnant – even if he knew it wouldn't be easy to manage everyday. Usually, everyone on an active shrine knew about the preternatural, but Mamoru hadn't told anything to his wife, and had been the only one to be authorized to under the ministry's laws.  
The only way the woman could now be told about the other world living side by side with hers, was if her daughter's gifts were detected by the ministry's.

Which wouldn't happen for years – both Daisuke and Mamoru had been late bloomers, and despite having awakened her healing gift, Kagome's powers still weren't registering on the ministry's charts.  
As if they were voluntarily kept hidden.  
Tsukiko was pretty sure it must have something to do with her destiny...

¤.¤.¤

"A sleep-over?" Higurashi Natsumi repeated, a bit surprised  
Her husband hadn't told her a lot about Kagome's new friend, if only that she was a daughter of the mysterious yet renowned Taishou family, an that her family had been regular of the shrine since as long as he could remember.  
She had noticed him slipping once or twice when talking about the girl, acting as if she was far older than she really was – and knew he really didn't understand the two children's friendship, even if she didn't understand why. Sure, Tsukiko was quite a serious and very mature child for her age, it was still clear that she regarded Kagome as a very good friend just by looking at the two interact, and that was more than enough for her.

But this was the first time the idea of a sleep-over was even spoken of, be it at her house's, or Tsukiko's.  
"My family spent quite a bit of time at the shrine around this time of the year." Tsukiko explained "I thought we could include Kagome this year."  
And suddenly, it made sense – and she had to restrain the tears coming to her eyes as she understood the little girl true intention, proof once more of more maturity than a six year old should have.

"I didn't know Kyu-bon was celebrated at the Sunset Shrine."  
"Some of us kept to the old calendar." the little girl confirmed – not precising that those 'some' were all of the magical beings

All magical celebrations were attended without disguise, all youkai able to drop the illusions they used when in the mundane world – the wards of all the shrines strengthened enough that anyone who didn't know about the preternatural would be turned back. Those wards would also make the local inhabitants not in the known want to stay at home, or even to sleep early.  
As one of the few times they were able to drop all pretenses outside their home, or the magical streets, the celebrations truly were joyful events; and contrary to the mundane festivals, they also had further use – all equinoxes and solstices had their particular significance, as did the more local holy days.

Kyu-bon was celebrated mainly in Asia, under different names, and was a day to honor the departed – while in Europa, this celebration was included in Hallow Eve, the celebration to seek guidance from the deities.  
Kagome had been explained by her mother that some people didn't celebrate O-bon on the same day as others – and that they would come to celebrate at the shrine, so she wasn't too surprised when everyone woke up early in the house to start cleaning up and decorating.

She was more surprised by the cleansing ritual, even if she quickly accepted the explanation that it was to keep evil spirits away from the visiting souls of the departed.  
I was also the first time she realized Tsukiko regularly helped at the shrine, which she found fascinating.  
"I thought only grown up did that!"  
"it's mostly grown up, but some start to learn younger." Tsukiko had explaining patiently, like always "Sa-chan started to learn when she was only seven, and at twelve she already was a true shrine maiden."

Kagome's eyes light up with awe – and Saiyuri sound found herself with a new little follower. Jii-chan's story were mostly boring, but Saiyuri wasn't, she was cool! The huntress miko sent a withering glare to her elder sister, but soon found herself falling under the little girl's charm, just like everyone always did.  
Soon, evening had come, the fires were lit up outside the decorated shrine...

 **[Event (LV:scaled)! Kyu-Bon...]**

As the event announced flashed on Chaos' Interface, the wards went up – and Kagome, falling under their powers, started to nod off. Tsukiko let the little girl sleep a couple of hours, until the Shrine's ground were full of youkai, wizards and other monks and priestess, and the main celebrations were about to start.  
Then, she woke up the little girl, feeling the wards recede around Kagome thanks to her own presence.

"Tsuki-chan?" the little priestess mumbled, still half-asleep – then, her eyes widened "Wha?" she cut herself up – realizing that her friend had drastically changed while she was sleeping  
Black hair were now pure white, light green eyes gleaming golden, round ears sharp and three tails were floating around...  
"So cute!"

Tsukiko chuckled, amused by the little girl reaction, and led her to the bathroom, giving her a colorful yukata – the girl then realized that not only was her friend looking different, she also was wearing unusual clothes, a beautiful traditional garb, with a blade tied to her sash. Not wanting to be left out, she was soon dressed up too, and they left the house.  
Ryoichi-san was there too, and he too had tails. Sa-chan didn't have tails, but she was wearing her miko outfit, and a beautiful naginata , There was another red-head girl with several tails, who presented herself as Ryoichi's cousin Akane.

Kagome was looking around her in awe, wondering how the calm little shrine she usually knew could have changed so much while she was asleep. There were people everywhere, with weird hair or eye colors, with tails or wings or fangs and claws.  
It felt as if she had woken up in on of jii-chan's old stories...

They wandered a bit around the festival, then Tsukiko took her to a room were lots of people were busying themselves, making paper lanterns – some white, other colorful.  
"This is to guide the soul of the dead." Tsukiko explained "White lantern when its the first kyu-bon since the person died, and colorful lanterns otherwise." she was taking a stash of colored paper for her, and gave Kagome white one, and soon enough, they had created simple, but beautiful lantern  
They went to the back of the shrine, when several other families where cleaning their beloved graves and decorating with the lantern.

At the cemetery entrance, jii-chan was waiting for her with a smile, people greeting him with a smile or a respectful bow – and as her grand-father was leading her toward tou-san's grave, she felt something strange, and realized a lot of people were looking behind her – a tall man had just met with Tsuki-chan, and he looked a lot like her.  
"This is Sesshoumaru-sama," Jii-chan explained when he saw where she was looking "he's Tsuki-hime's father, and the Lord of these parts. He's very powerful, and well respected."  
"Why are they here?"  
"Tsuki-hime's mother died protecting her when she was born." he explained as he finished cleansing his son's grave "Here, help me put the lantern."

She did so, and Jii-chan started to pray.  
Except, she soon realized, it wasn't like when mother prayed, or other peoples – she could nearly see light around Jii-chan. And she could feel the familiar presence of tou-san, as if telling her to be strong, and take care of mama and the baby to come, and to always smile and be happy.  
Yes, this really felt like tou-san.  
Kagome's smile as she realized this reached her eyes for the first time since her father's death.

Soon, they were back with the rest of their friends, Tsukiko making her dance the Bon Odori with her, and even if Kagome didn't know the steps, she soon learned them.  
The night went with dancing, and looking around all the interesting things and people – and really, Tsukiko had been right, why settle for normal when there were so many different people around?  
Then, as the night came to an end, they all walked toward a river she didn't remember ever seeing, putting toro nagashi into the water – and as the paper lantern was taken by the water, she saw him.

Her father, waving good-bye to jii-chan and her, side by side with baa-chan, and bowing toward Tsuki-chan before fading away.  
She fell asleep soon after, a soft smile never leaving her lips, not knowing about the notification that had popped under Tsukiko's surprised eyes...

 **[Event Complete! Just like a dream...**  
 _Kagome heard her father's last wish_  
 **Reward:** +25XP, Kagome gains +25XP, Kagome gains **A Father's Blessing** Perk (Spiritual Shield unlocked)]  
 **[Level up!** Kagome is now level 16!  
 _+2SP, +2CP]_

¤.¤.¤

Kagome, the next day, could only wonder whether the celebration had been a dream – she didn't talk about it to her mother, and realized that nobody was talking about it in front of her. But dream or not, it didn't matter; because she knew that he father's last words had to be true.  
And so she started to smile again, her smile each day a bit more honest, and when her little brother was finally born at September's beginning, she was able to smile truly once more.

As she realized that Tsukiko was coming early every week-end to help with the Shrine Maiden duties, Kagome also started to take an interest in it, learning about the dances and other benedictions with her friend – she was really fascinated by the old legends about miko, and though Saiyuri was really impressive.  
Daisuke was happy to see his grand-daughter take an interest into the shrine's work, as it gave him hope that Sunset Shrine would still be tended to by an Higurashi even in the coming years.

Amusingly enough, even though she regularly helped around as a miko, Kagome still thought most of the old man tales to be just that, never realizing they weren't legends but true stories.  
Because of her fascination for miko, she had also taken up kyudo – or rather, she had tried the antique archery discipline for about a year before realizing that while she wasn't hopeless at it, she really wasn't all that good.

That, and she really didn't like the idea of fighting.  
"It's not like you were hurting people with those arrows..." Tsukiko had pointed out  
"I know, it's just... Why can't people just talk about things rather than fight?"  
"Well, for one some people just like fighting, others are just really stupid and sometimes... You just have to bash the opponent a few times on the head before he's ready to hear you out. Beside learning to use a weapon isn't the same as fighting."  
"Eh?"  
"Well, kyudo is mostly a traditional art nowadays. And most of the formal martial art are like that."  
"Really?"  
"I know, why don't you ask Sa-chan to watch one of her training sessions?"

"Let her see one of your sessions!" retorted the miko who was sweeping the ground as the two girl finished climbing the long stairs leading to the temple  
"You fight, Tsuki-chan?"  
"I don't fight." the hime answered with distaste "You're saying this as if I was some kind of drunkard punching idiots in a pub! I'm the House of Moon heiress, I've been trained into a number of martial arts ever since I've learned how to walk."  
"You should follow the same schedule as you have at home here once, so she could see." Saiyuri suggested - and she had to restrain herself from rolling her eyes at her elder siblings surprised look; did the goddess really think she hadn't realized who Kagome was with how much interest she had taken in the girl?

"Oh, why not." Tsukiko shrugged as she felt her resolve crumble under Kagome's puppy eyes – she always was weak to this kind of pleading

 **[Life Quest! The Resolve to Improve...**  
 **Goal:** show to Kagome that a healthy mind and a healthy body works better together  
 **Bonus Goal:** make Kagome see the appeal of a martial discipline  
 **Reward:** +50XP, unlocks _Map System_ , Kagome gains +50XP  
 **Bonus Reward:** +100XP, +1Perk Point, Kagome gains +100XP, Kagome gains +10 to a **Weapon** Skill to be chosen  
 **Failure:** Kagome doesn't take an interest in improving her physical conditioning, gaining the status **Regular City Flower** (-50%XP when in the past)

 _note that the_ _ **Regular**_ _ **City**_ _ **Flower**_ _status can only be lost by gaining the_ _ **Seasoned**_ _ **Time-Traveler**_ _status, available only to Kagome herself in the Reward Tab of the Hunting System]_

Well, realized Tsukiko as she read the quest – now she really had to make her friend change her mind.  
Then again, she had been able to explain to peace-loving Kyouko-chan why her brother loved to fight in a previous life, she should be able to do this – right?

As it was, it was decided – and the following week-end, Tsukiko and Saiyuri had woken up Kagome at what the young girl considered an absolutely ungodly hour. Both had started by their usual warming ups, Kagome being encourage to do what she could, which wasn't a lot, she soon realized, before switching to kata, then sparring.  
Saiyuri favored the naginata , and was exceptionally graceful with it – Tsukiko was good enough, but even Kagome could guess that it wasn't her favorite weapon. It was when they switched to the katana kata that her friend's talent showed – even if she wasn't using a full sized blade, still too small for it.

But what really struck Kagome was the peace of the early morning routine – the kata were harmonious, and while they did get their blood going hotter during the spar, they ended their early morning with a long, far too long in Kagome's opinion, meditation.  
"Pretty..." a young voice whispered by her side – it was only then that she realized that sometime after she had stopped exercising to switch to only watching, her little brother Souta had woken up too, as had jii-chan, and both had been watching by her side  
Still, she could understand better why Tsukiko had looked so – vexed, not that she'd admit it – when she had thoughtlessly told her friend that fighting was useless and only for violent people.

"Daisuke-kun! Join us!"  
The exclamation surprised both his grand-kids, while the older man protested "I'm not as young as I used to be, Tsuki-hime."  
"Nonsense," the girl contradicted with an amused smile – while may not be in his prime, her friend was far from old for a holy servant – and to prove her point, she threw the wooden naginata she had been training with early  
Grumbling, Daisuke caught the weapon, used to it – everybody followed at least one basic weaponry course at Mahoutokoro, and most of the time, it was the bo or archery for holy servants. He may not be as good as the two huntress, he still made a point to train a few times a week, after all he had to be in shape if some corrupted beings ever had the stupid idea of attacking his shrine.

Kagome and Souta were both awed by their grand-father – who knew the old man was so cool, once he stopped talking about strange legends?  
The rest of the morning, the two shrine maiden had spent cleaning the shrine, before performing a cleansing ritual and checking on the wards. While neither Kagome nor Souta knew what really was taking place, both seemed to realize there was a hidden power at work there, confirming that even the younger sibling would have quite strong holy powers once they awakened.  
Souta, even if he wasn't old enough to understand all that was going on, had decided to tag along with them for the day – so Saiyuri and Tsukiko integrated the little boy quite naturally in their activities.

The afternoon was spent with an introduction to calligraphy – which really was more of an introduction to writing for the youngest, Saiyuri demonstrating how she made some of the talisman which were then sold by the shrine.  
They then spent some time behind the shrine, looking for healing herbs for poultices, then ended the afternoon making shikigami – which of course neither Saiyuri nor Tsukiko animated under the others two eyes.  
That is until a very proud Souta announced "Look, my shikigami can dance!"

"I can't believe he did this without any training." Saiyuri blurted, before blushing  
"Very good Souta-chan!" Tsukiko was praising without missing a bit - if Kagome could heal at five year old, why coudln't her brother animate a shikigami after all?  
"You mean you knew this was possible?" Kagome asked, curious, while Tsukiko was explaining to Souta that he couldn't show off his dancing buddies to everyone

"Well, it is a miko skill."  
"Souta is a boy."  
"A monk or a priest then." she shrugged "The original gift is the same, they just don't use it the same way traditionally."  
"So... You can do this?"  
Saiyuri and Tsukiko shared a look – with Souta having awakened a shikigami by himself, they technically could tell them a bit more, even if the bigger revelation would have to wait the ministry's officials.

With a controlled burst of power, both girls animated their own shikigami, Tsukiko's using Kagome as a climbing wall.  
"They are cute." the girl admitted "But how did you do this?"  
"Well, you both have to be able to call your gift up, and tell it what to do." explained Saiyuri  
"Just like when you heal someone." completed Tsukiko  
Kagome immediately tried – but while her own shikigami shivered a bit, it didn't woke up like her brother's had. She pouted at it, before Tsukiko explained "It takes patience, Kagome-chan. People don't learn to do this is one day usually, just like healing people isn't usually leaned in one day."  
"Really?"

"Tsuki-hime was complaining for weeks about how unfair it was that she trained for years, yet you just saw your otou-san do it once, and managed it on your own."  
"Hey!" said hime protested, the slight blush quickly confirming to Kagome that the miko wasn't lying  
"So you've had training? Where? How?"  
"That's not something we're allowed to say." Tsukiko answered with a sigh "There are people taking care about this in the government. Both Sa-chan and I were early-bloomer, so we were trained earlier, while you are a late-bloomer. Your brother probably will be as well."  
"But don't worry, you will eventually be trained. And you'll see then that the other students will mostly be your age."

Kagome was young, but was also very mature, some would even say wise for her young age – and she knew her friend well enough that if Tsukiko said that she only had to be patient to learn more about those strange things, then she would be patient.  
Even if she did manage to extract a promise to help her with the shikigami. She had seen them after all, so she was allowed to know about it wasn't she? The fact the first task she had been given was to start meditation wasn't really what she was expecting...

But for the sake of making little dancing paper figure, she would do it!

In the following weeks, Kagome had tried several of the martial art clubs around – before asking Saiyuri herself to train her. The huntress had been surprised, and had quickly pointed out that she was only present on the week-end, but Kagome had been quite adamant, feeling the clubs she had seen were lacking the spirit of Saiyuri and Tsukiko's own training.  
Saiyuri had eventually relented, working up a schedule, with Daisuke himself taking care of some lessons during the week.

All in all, it had been a very successful day, as Chaos' Game had confirmed...

 **[Life Quest! The Resolve to Improve...**  
 **Reward:** +50XP, _Map System_ unlocked, Kagome gains +50XP  
 **Bonus Reward: (** 100+50)XP, +1 Perk Point, Kagome gains +100XP, Kagome gains +10 to a **Weapon** Skill to be chosen  
 **Hidden Goal Complete! The awakening of a new generation...**  
 _Both Kagome and Souta have gained an interest in the arts of holy servants_  
 **Reward:** (100+50)XP, Kagome gains +100XP, Souta gains +100XP, +10 to a **Mystic** Skill to be chosen for all, +2 Goshinboku Branches added to Inventory]  
 **[Level up!** You are now level 123!  
 _\+ 1SP]_  
 **[Level up!** Kagome is now level 34!  
+15SP, +6CP, +2PP]  
 **[Level up!** Souta is now level 28!  
+25SP, +10CP, +2PP]

Tsukiko and Saiyuri had both shared a stunned look at the massive level gain of the two children but neither sibling had realized anything, too taken up by their new scheduled activities – be they martial art or basic holy servant training.

¤.¤.¤

By the time Kagome went to middle school, the result of her training was clear in every aspects of her life – while still very cheerful, she also was far more collected thanks to the numerous hours of meditations that were now part of her regular schedule, furthermore the meditation hadn't only helped her with her budding miko gift, but even in her everyday life, helping her with school work.  
The regular exercising with either Daisuke, Saiyuri or Tsukiko meant that she was also very fit – and coupled with her temperament, it meant people were quite easily attracted to her , making her one of her school idol.

Kagome had found the situation very strange, even more-so that she didn't think herself all that special, being used to have Tsukiko to compare herself to. Of course, she tended to forget just how different her childhood friend was from normal people.

As Kagome fifteen birthday was approaching, Tsukiko went to her father.  
"You know what will happen soon, don't you?"  
Sesshoumaru hadn't ever talked about it – so much that it could only mean one thing : whatever was going to happen in the past, he had his part to play in it, and knew better than to tempt Fate by blabbering about what already was the past for him, yet still was the future for his daughter.

"I know." he confirmed " Even thought I don't know exactly when, I do know that the miko was looking much like she does now the first time I saw her."  
"Her powers are still being sealed, which is why the ministry hasn't found her... But once it has started, I'm going to train her, whether they like it or not. Still it would be better if it was legal..."  
"I talked about the events to come to the minister of magical being when he took his office." Sesshoumaru announced – and knowing her father it had probably been one very unilateral talk

"Sending a ministry worker to informer her mother wouldn't be a bad idea." Tsukiko suggested, not surprised Sesshoumaru had already anticipated her concerns "And I guess they could use the occasion to talk to Souta too."  
"The only reason he hasn't been invited yet is probably because the sealing over the miko's gift is spilling over to her brother."  
"Who knows what Fate has in store for him..." Tsukiko wondered absentmindedly  
"There is one thing yet to be taken care of before you follow the miko to the past."

She looked at him curiously, not really seeing where he was going.  
"FuurinKiba is a fine weapon, but it is not one made for you. While it has worked well for you, it is time for you to get it a partner."  
He was right, she realized – because she had never found a better weapon, Kiba had stayed a main weapon, but five hundred years in the past, and battling against powerful youkai, it wouldn't be enough. Younger, there had been no point in getting another blade, since she was still too small for a proper katana.  
But she had been growing upon for ten years now, and while she still looked like a teenager, she knew she had about reached her adult height.

Totosai looked as old as ever.

And he promptly grabbed FuurinKiba away from her as soon as she entered, grumbling an annoyed "Finally. I was wondering how much longer your were going to let your heir prance around with a weapon she wasn't even attuned to. Tch."  
Sesshoumaru and his daughter twitched in the same nearly unnoticeable way, the weapon-smith able to annoy both of them in a record time.

"She'll need her own weapon."  
"Of course she will if she's going to follow around that miko without a shred of survival instinct and keep her alive! I'll want a couple of fang!" while loud-mouthed, he wasn't stupid enough to just take them without warning – this was a princess after all, and her very protective, and very powerful Daiyoukai father

"Can you do a weapon that channels reiki?" Tsukiko asked while handing over two fangs  
"No way, youki and reiki don't work well together." he contradicted  
"Well mine do."  
"Because you're special."  
"Then wouldn't a weapon forged from my fang work with holy powers?"  
"It would." the youkai confirmed "But I would have to find a wood to work with it, youkai wood wouldn't work."

She reached into her Inventory, now understanding why she had received such a strange quest reward years earlier – and took out one of the two branches from the sacred tree of the Higurashi Shrine.  
Totosai snatched the branch, announcing "I'll need one more fang for this. And give me a week. Now let me work."

"Well, he's about as I expected from Ryo's description." Tsukiko couldn't help but comment as her father and her were leaving the shop "How about taking a look at the market place since we're here anyway?"  
Sesshoumaru, was he a lesser youkai, would have sighed – even goddesses weren't immune to the allure of shopping, after all – instead, he simply followed his daughter as she started looking around, decided to enjoy her presence for now, since she'd soon be going to the past, and meeting a very different version of himself.


	4. Game On 30 III Falling through time

**Chapter 3. July 1996 Falling down to another world**

"Nee-chan?"  
Kagome, who was on her way to school, stopped at her brother's call. Souta's head was peaking outside of the shrine which concealed the old well that was part of the Sunset Shrine  
"What are you doing in here?" she asked "You know you're not supposed to play in the shrine!" she added, more by habit than anything else  
"Yes, but it's Buyo, I think he's inside!"  
"Then why don't you go and get him?"

"It's creepy inside here." Souta protested  
"Then send a shikigami, I'm going to be late for school! On the last day!"  
"But..."  
"Oh alright, I'm going!" she sighed, knowing it couldn't be helped – it was her little brother after all, and he had very effective puppy eyes  
"There's some sound coming from down here." Souta whimpered  
"It's just the cat." she affirmed, trying to reassure him – and herself

But with each step she was taking within the shrine, she was becoming more and more persuaded that the noise was coming from _inside_ the well...  
Then, a mewling sound was heard, and Buyo was there, casually rubbing against her leg. With a sigh, Kagome picked up the fat cat who'd been with her ever since she healed him as a child, and started to climb out of the shrine.

And the next moment, the noise coming from the well became louder, and Buyo jumped out of her arms, while she felt herself dragged into the well – and into darkness. The inhuman silhouette that was grabbing her smiled creepily "What a marvelous power! I can feel my body regrowing!"  
Feeling panic rising, she started debating herself, trying to get out of the monster's grasp. And suddenly, a bright light glow was coming out of her hands, like when she healed people only much stronger – only it didn't heal, clearly, as the thing started to scream in agony and let her go with a furious shout "No! I won't let you go, Shikon no Tama! You'll be mine!"

As the monster faded into darkness, she felt herself falling down – and the next moment, she was on the ground, in what seemed to be the bottom of the well.

Kagome would have been tempted to class all that had just happened as a dream, or rather a nightmare – except there still was on of the multiple arms of the centipede-lady laying on the ground. That, and far too much light for the inside of the shrine, not to mention the fact Souta wasn't answering any of her calls.  
Taking a deep breath to prevent herself from panicking, she took a look around herself- realizing with a bit of disgust that the ground was half-dirt half-bones, and spotting some sturdy looking ivy, started climbing up.

"Well," she commented, looking at the vegetation around her as she finally climbed out of the well "No wonder Souta wasn't answering back." not too far she could spot a shape far more familiar that the rest of the environment around her "Ah! The Goshinboku!" she realized, starting to dash toward the tree  
Her mad dash was broken when, arriving near the familiar sacred tree, she realized that there was a human silhouette pinned to it, halfway hidden away by some kind of creeping plant, and looking fast asleep.

Nothing was making sense.

The boy – he didn't look much older than her – looked asleep, yet he was pierced by an arrow, and had been there for so long that plants were starting to grow over him. Logically he should be dead...  
That's when she realized he had dog ears on his head – she reached toward them impulsively, marveling at how soft and cute they were.  
Then, menacing voices were heard, and arrows flew around her.  
"What are you doing here, intruder?"

She immediately held her hands up in surrender, seeing half a dozen men pointing all kind of make-shift weapons toward her. Within moment, she was tied up and dragged to what looked like a small village, like one would see in some period drama. The villagers were lurking around her as she was left to wait for someone – and soon, an old lady holding a sturdy bow made her way toward her  
"So you were found in InuYasha's forest eh?" the old miko affirmed rather than asked

"I'm sorry, miko-sama, but I've no idea of where I am." she stated calmly but humbly – the old lady didn't look trigger-happy like the other had, better have her on her side  
Said miko took a closer look at her face, before gesturing to a man to let her go "This is no youkai." she reassured them  
Within moment, the villagers ha gone back to their normal activities, and the old woman was gesturing for her to follow, leading her to one of the huts.

¤.¤.¤

"You," she explained while serving two bowls of stew "look a lot like my sister did. She was a powerful miko, entrusted with a sacred jewel. And she died fifty years ago."  
"And just because of that you're going to trust me?"  
"Of course not." the old woman smiled "I'm a miko too, just like your said. I am able to recognized youkai even in hiding."  
And there it was again – that word.  
Youkai.  
Her mind jumped back to the monster in the well, and the boy in the forest. Then even further away, to a long, nearly forgotten memory, of a night when a friend had helped her make peace with her father's death...

There was no point in denying it – she wasn't in Tokyo anymore.  
"Like I said, I don't know where I am. I fell in a well at home, and got out it the middle of this strange forest... Could you maybe tell me where I am?"  
The miko looked at her suspiciously "You don't seem very afraid from someone lost."  
"I'm trying to stay calm and rational. And honestly, it's not easy, so pointing it out won't help the matter!" she retorted hotly "My little brother is probably still waiting for me out of the well-house at home and wondering what happened to me! Then when he realize I've disappeared he'll call mama and jii-chan, and everyone is going to be worried, and I don't even know if there's a way home!" she blurted, panic rising as she started talking

"Calm down child," the old woman laid a reassuring hand on her arm "I'm sorry, but we have to be careful in these days and age." she would have said more – but outside, screams were heard, and panic was rising  
Both rose hastily – and once out of the hut, were met with fleeing villagers, and a large, familiar monster tearing a woman up. As soon as the youkai's eyes feel on her, she dropped her prey, eyes narrowing "You! Give me the Shikon no Tama!"  
And there it was again, Kagome thought – she had no idea of what the monster was talking about, but one thing was clear: it was after her.

"Nothing is working against it!" one of the villager was reporting to the old miko  
"We must drive it to the bone-eater well then." the priestess affirmed  
"It's the one I came out from, isn't it?" the bones in it made more sense suddenly  
"From what you say." confirmed the miko "There's only one abandoned well in InuYasha's forest.  
"The forest is this way isn't it? The same way that light is coming from?"  
The miko's eyes widened at the question – but Kagome didn't realize it, more focused on her target "Hay, it is."

Kagome looked around, and threw a rock at the rampaging monster to ensure she kept it's attention on her – then started running, wishing she had been wearing her training clothes, rather than her school uniform and shoes.  
Rushing through the greenery with the youkai still demanding about a jewel she didn't know a thing about, Kagome hadn't realized the sleeping boy from earlier was now wide awake – that is until he snorted "What are you doing with that wimpy centipede? Just settle it with one arrow, Kikyou, just like when you killed me!"  
"Well," Kagome couldn't help but comment, still overwhelmed by the unlikely situation "I liked you better when you were asleep."  
"Here it comes." the dog-eared boy commented after spluttering for a moment at her candid comment

Indeed, a few seconds later, the centipede was rushing in the clearing, hand clawing toward Kagome – the girl dodged, if barely, and felt herself really grateful for Saiyuri and Tsukiko's merciless physical conditioning. The next moment, several arrows landed on the beast's body, ropes tied to them, and the villagers were starting to drag it toward the well.  
"How disappointing, Kikyou."  
"I'm not this Kikyou person." she snapped "And it's not like you were a great help, mister I'm stuck on a tree!"

"You're the one who did that!" he hotly answered – before stopping himself, and sniffing "Uh. You're not Kikyou..."  
That's what I just told you!" Kagome answered, growing annoyed with the boy  
"Kikyou is far more dignified. And beautiful."  
What ever she would have answered was lost, as the youkai who had been under control a moment before was once more on a rampage, fours arms grabbing at her body – Kagome did the first thing she could think of, and grabbed the annoying boy by the hair.

"Let go!" he protested  
While she did feel bad about it – it must have hurt after all – she wasn't about to let go either, not when some king of strange monster was trying to make her its dinner!  
"Give me the Shikon no Tama!"  
"I've still no idea what you're talking about!" she answered back, feeling the anger and fear she had done her best to manage getting the better of her "So won't you cut it out!" with her shout, she felt the same energy that had awakened earlier – and reacted on instinct, throwing it toward the centipede with on gesture of her hand

That was twice now that she'd done it – she'd have to ask Saiyuri or Tsukiko about it.  
If she ever managed to get home.

Only this time, the youkai wasn't as surprised, and attacked back far faster, biting into her side with elongated fangs – blood splashed, far more than she'd thought, and she felt something falling out from between her fingers that were trying to assess the wound. A small, translucent pearl, pulsing with untold powers – and looking a lot like some of the memorabilia the shrine sold, now that she thought about it.

Wait! Wasn't Jii-chan the one who told her about the Shikon no Tama?

Suddenly, several things were starting to make sense all at once – except of course, this wasn't the moment to stop like that, she had been going into shock – and was dragged out of it by the annoying boy's voice urgently shouting "It's mine! Give it here!"  
"Eh! I'd heard about some hanyou brat going after the Shikon no Tama!" the centipede, mocked while coiling around them – trapping them and approaching the jewel at the same time  
"Tch. I may be a hanyou, but a youkai like you is nothing but a small fry to me!" InuYasha bragged

This was no good, Kagome realized – and right now, there was nothing she could do.  
But then again – there was this loud-babbling about how strong he was...

"You better not been all bark and no bite, dog-boy!" she threatened, before grabbing the arrow that was keeping him stuck to the Goshinboku  
"Child! Don't!" the old miko warned – too late  
"Bah! It's that or we all die, babaa!" InuYasha commented, as power flew back into him just as the centipede was gulping the Shikon no Tama  
In one burst of power, he'd broken out of his wooden prison, dragging the centipede with him before rushing at it, claws gleaming "Sankon Tessou!"  
As the centipede feel to the ground, Kagome felt, behind her annoyance, a bit of grudging respect grow for the hanyou, who clearly hadn't been all talk after all. Then, she realized the bits of flesh were still moving, as if they were trying to regroup.

"We must retrieve the Shikon no Tama or it will regenerate itself!" the old miko explained "Do you see something glowing?"  
Kagome looked around – soon founding what she'd been told to look for and grabbing it, recovering the little piece of jewelry that had caused so much grief.  
"So this was inside of me uh? And it gives more power to youkai?" Kagome wondered  
"Exactly! Now be a good girl and give it to me, if you don't want to finish under my claws!"  
"You mustn't!" the old miko contradicted

"I'd already guessed as much." Kagome confirmed while jumping out of the boy's claws – it really looked as if he was trying to kill her  
To think she had been impressed by him seconds earlier!  
She managed to avoid several attacks – she wondered if the centipede had been that bad, since she was able to avoid him, or if he wasn't putting in his all. Then, a necklace passed her by, glowing with holy powers, and landed around the hanyou's neck.  
"You've got to subdue him!" the old miko called – why she didn't do it herself, Kagome didn't really know – but what she did understand was that she had something to fight back with  
"Eh! Subduing me? A pathetic girl like you! As if!"

"Osuwari!"  
She felt her own powers answer to her call and mingling with the necklace, and dog-boy was dragged to the ground, quite violently.  
Subduing, then.  
Another thing to ask Saiyuri and Tsukiko about, clearly.  
Soon, they were all heading back to the village, a sullen InuYasha tagging along, and Kagome was back in the miko's hut "I'll take a look at your wound, child."

The old woman sighed while cleaning the blood "It is quite a problem, for the Shikon no Tama to have resurfaced after all this time."  
"The centipede seemed to felt it even when it was hidden in me and I didn't know about it." Kagome mused "Others will come after it, right?"  
"Any being, human or youkai, with evil in their heart, will covet it." the miko sighed "For it is said that the Shikon no Tama can answer your every wish."

"Uh. So why do you want it, dog-boy?" Kagome asked InuYasha "I mean, you seemed strong enough to me."  
"That's because he's a hanyou."  
"Shut up babaa! What do you know about this!"  
"You didn't recognized me then. I thought as much... You were stuck against this tree for fifty years, InuYasha. I'm Kikyou's little sister, Kaede."  
"You've sure grown old! I bet Kikyou is even more hideous now!"

"Kikyou-onee-sama died one the day you were sealed, and was burned with the Shikon no Tama." the old miko stated calmly  
"I see." the hanyou muttered, a bit insincerely in Kagome's opinion "Serves the bitch right."  
"It's a bit early to be happy," Kaede corrected "I think this young girl maybe Kikyou-onee-sama reincarnation. It would explain how the jewel found it's way in your body."

* * *

¤.¤.¤

* * *

By the next morning, Kagome was already getting tired of the worshiping and awed look the villagers were giving her. She wasn't anybody's reincarnation, she simply was herself! Even InuYasha was avoiding her, muttering about the fact she was nothing like Kikyou.  
He really did have the miko in high esteem for someone who had been cursed by her...

"You do realize I'm not her, right? Reincarnation or not, I'm Kagome, not Kikyou." she pointed out while throwing him a few vegetables that had been offered by the villagers  
"Keh! Kikyou or not it doesn't change a thing! I'm going to get the jewel!"  
"Well, I can always subdue you if try to attack me." she pointed out, before shrugging and getting back to look at the scenery around her  
To think this large forest and little village would one day grow to became the large, bustling city of Tokyo.  
The past was dangerous – but at least it was beautiful, too.

It was only later that evening that she decided to start and look for a way home – in other words, she was going to the old well. It's what took her here, it was her best shot at going back home, wasn't it?

She wasn't even near the well when she was knocked out in the back – when she awakened, not too long after, she was in a bandit hideout, their leader lazily gulping sake before stating "Girl. You've got the Shikon no Tama. Hand it over."  
She tried to resist, but restrained by two thugs, it wasn't easy – and the leader soon found the necklace around her neck to which the jewel had been strung. This wasn't good.  
"Well, I've got no more use for you." the man stated, rising his sword

At that moment, Kagome was pretty sure she was going to die here, alone and stranded in the past and she closed her eyes. Then her eyes opened wide back as she felt blood spraying her, but clearly not her blood, as one of the man holding her had let go, and was now screaming in agony.  
"Uh. I missed. My bad."  
At that, the other thugs started to realized that something was wrong with their leader, as the man started hacking around without a care, beheading one of his own underlings while laughing. Taking advantage of the chaos, Kagome soon found a spear that would work well enough for her. It wasn't a naginata , but right now she couldn't afford to be too picky.

Now that she wasn't weaponless anymore, Kagome felt far more at ease, the countless hours of sparing helping her if only a bit – this was far more violent, and bloody, and it really confirmed to her that she hated fighting, but Tsukiko had been right all these years ago, and sometime not fighting meant dying, and she had no intention of dying just yet.  
And the man while violent, wasn't good. Sure enough, he was stronger than her – but he was moving haphazardly, and was just waving his sword around.

While she didn't want to kill him, aiming at his shoulder was easy enough, and soon, she was striking. Except that instead of burying in flesh, her weapon merely cut open what had been a flesh puppet.  
The man wasn't even alive, a three-eyed crow was nestled within the corpse's chest, and tried to fly when it understood it wouldn't win – just as InuYasha arrived.

"Tchh. A fucking shibu-garasu." he stated  
"He's got the Shikon no Tama!" shouted Kagome, making InuYasha swear once more  
Looking around him, he grabbed a bow and some arrows lying about, then turned toward Kagome "Climb on my back, we're catching up." he stated, handing her the weapon – before instructing as soon as they were outside "Shoot it."  
"Are you stupid? We're moving, and I haven't touched a bow in years!"

"Kikyou was a master of the bow, you can do it!"  
"I'm not Kikyou, dammit dog-boy!" she retorted while trying anyway  
Without any surprise, the arrow, while it flew, didn't reach her target. Really, what had the hanyou expected, some kind of miracle?  
"Wow, you're really useless."  
"You aren't the one that pushed the bird enough that it had to flee."  
"I ain't the one that got kidnapped either."

Kagome had not retort for that – she still felt bad about having been caught so easily. Meanwhile, the crow had swallowed the jewel, and his form was starting to become more monstrous. They were now nearing a watercourse, where villagers were working – and the youkai dropped in, catching a child in his claws.  
"The child..."  
"Shibu-garasu prey on humans. It's going to feed." stated InuYasha plainly "But at least right now it can't defend itself, since it's claws are full!"

Seeing that he was preparing to attack, Kagome jumped a second before, forcing the crow to let go of his prey – and at the same time, the hanyou's attack hit it, nearly half of it's body being cut apart.  
"What were you thinking, you damn bitch!"  
"Well I had to save the kids while you were taking care of the crow, didn't I." she stated easily "It's still got the Shikon, it's under its wings!"

But both could see that the crow was fast getting away – too fast to catch back. Eyes searching around, Kagome was hit by an idea, and the next moment, she was drawing her bow once more, far more at ease now that she was on the ground, but more importantly certain that she would hit this time.  
After all, the bits of the youkai were eager to be reunited with the main body.  
And indeed, the arrow found its target, the body of the crow disappearing, as a shower of light illuminated the sky.

¤.¤.¤

A moment later, both hanyou and human girl were rushing toward the direction the youkai's body had disappeared in, where Kagome could still faintly feel the aura of the jewel. Much less powerful than earlier.  
"I've got a bad feeling about this..."  
Of course, said feeling was confirmed within minutes, when upon encountering the shibu-garasu's animated head, they realized that only a fragment of the Shikon no Tama was left in it.

Kagome's arrow had shattered the Shikon no Tama.

"Dark times are coming." Kaede sighed as Kagome showed her the sliver of the jewel they had found "Your purifying arrow shattered the crow's body, and because the Shikon no Tama had started to be assimilated, it shattered too. There could be countless shards all over the country, and even one shard could spell disaster in the hands of a powerful youkai."  
Kagome dropped her head in shame – while it hadn't been her intent, she was at fault in this, and as such couldn't well go back home and act as if nothing had happened.

"InuYasha, Kagome, both of you must combine your powers and find back every last shards of the jewel."  
Kagome sighed. It couldn't be helped, could it?  
"Alright, I'll help. But first I've got to check if I can go home the same way I arrived. I can't let my family worry about me."  
"Go home and stay there! It's not as if I need a fake look alike like you after all! I'll get the jewel myself and become a youkai!"

A sigh.

"Osuwari." well – it wasn't really mature, but she really felt better, seeing the hanyou face-planting  
She just knew that the brash attitude was mostly a facade – InuYasha may always look grumpy, and sound insulting, his eyes weren't unkind after all...  
"InuYasha, you can't see the Shikon shards." Kaede reminded, before offering Kagome a kind smile "I understand you wish to see your family, but maybe not tonight?"  
Kagome took a good look at herself – she was tired, dirty, and even bloody, and right now she wanted nothing more than to get some sleep.  
Tomorrow morning, then – after washing herself.

And so, a few hours of sleep later, she was awake, and bathing in the river – and the water was ice cold, even in the middle of the summer. It was only her third day here and she was already missing modern accommodations. This was going to be some adventure...  
"Tch. Bathing isn't gonna make your stench go away."  
Her eyes widened.  
"Osuwari! You damn pervert!" she screeched – before taking advantage of the fact he was still face into the ground to get out of the water and get dressed in the miko outfit Kaede had provided.

InuYasha was looking at her strangely – and within minutes, as Kaede was called away to care for a sick child, was demanding "Take them off!"  
Kagome was so shocked that she forgot to subdue the hanyou.  
Then it clicked – the woman she supposedly resembled had been a miko, hadn't she?  
"How many times do I need to say that I'm not Kikyou?" she wondered – still, getting a change of clothes did seem a good idea, if he was going to act like a kid each time she was dressed like this

"Just go away! It's not like I can't manage on my own!"  
"How hard-headed are you? Kaede-sama told you only I can sense the shards! Besides, it's my fault the Shikon no Tama broke, even if I didn't mean it. I'm not going to let people suffer because of my mistake. So you're stuck with me for now!"  
Saying this, she stalked toward the forest, never seeing the small widening of the hanyou's eyes at the affirmation. Then, he realized she was getting away and rushed to ward her "Hey! Where are you running to after talking big like that?"

"I told you yesterday, I'm going home to explain things to my family and get some supplies!"  
"Then leave the shards here!"  
She eyed him dubiously – sure she was just going to let the boy who had clearly stated his intent to stole the jewel keep the shards. Did she really look that stupid?  
"No way." she denied flatly

Grumbling, InuYasha turned away from her – Kagome shrugged, and soon enough she was back to the clearing where the old well was.  
And feeling that something was off...  
That's when she spotted the spider-webs; and realized they couldn't be spider-webs in the same moment. She started looking around her suspiciously – so far she had already been attacked by two youkai, and was wearing the shard of a mystical artifact that they were apparently attracted to...  
"Oh! You can see my hair, uh?" a haughty laugh "But seeing it isn't enough girl. Still, I'll give you a boon... I'm Sakasa-gami no Yura. Don't feel obliged to remember it, I'm going to kill you anyway."

The young looking woman that had just said that had short hair and was wearing a yukata so skimpy it looked more like a negligee – and most importantly, she was negligently walking on one of the hair entangling the clearing, several meters above the ground, and looked ready to attack...  
"Now, why don't you hand me this Shikon shard of yours?" she suggested with a wide smile

Kagome didn't have a lot of time to think – trying to call to her the feeling of the purifying light she'd used the day before, she stepped back at the same time.  
She felt the energy rise to her call, the waver and flicker out of life – but it had been enough to make the girl jump away from her for her second, she then started to laugh as her holy powers flickered down "Not even able to use your own powers! Truly a pathetic child!"

It didn't matter, Kagome had felt the edge of the well under her hands. The villagers had called it the bone-eating well, she recalled, and that's where they had tried to drop the centipede to get rid of it. In other words, while it may be a way home for her, it also apparently was a deadly trap for the youkai.  
She let herself fall backward, seeing the hair trying to follow but getting burned by the purifying light that she forced to flare around her hands once more.  
And her back hit the ground.

The bottom of the well was darker, and there weren't any forest sounds anymore.  
She sighed and didn't jump back on her feet right away, too drained from the adrenaline to care about the fact she was literally lying in old youkai bones.  
Then a young and excited voice was heard "You felt it too didn't you, Jii-chan?It's the same as when Kagome disappeared! I'm sure she's back!"  
Souta.  
A small smile lit her lips – she was home.

In the back of her mind, the idea that the youkai could be attacking the village back in the past was nagging at her. But she had the jewel shards, not them, so she shouldn't – and well, InuYasha was there, and he may be bad tempered, he didn't feel evil. Hell, he wasn't even attracted to shards like all the youkai that had attacked her had been... so he would definitely help.  
Hopefully.

Finally, felling better simply by hearing her brother's voice, she picked herself up, loudly announcing her presence before looking around for a way up – she didn't have to wait for long, as a rope ladder was dropped toward her. Not wasting time wondering about where they'd gotten it, she quickly climbed her way out of the well, happy to be back in her own time.

With familiar surroundings around her, the past three days seemed nearly unreal – but the wound on her side and the shard pulsing around her neck made it impossible to forget it had really happened.  
"Welcome back, child." Jii-chan smiled

* * *

¤.¤.¤

* * *

Tsukiko was there, visibly having stayed with her family the whole time of her disappearance, and within minutes they were in the kitchen, and she started to explain what had happened, wondering if they would think her mad, yet doubting it. Her mother was the only one she hadn't ever seen displaying unusual abilities after all...  
They – didn't seemed that surprised, she realized as they listened to her tale.

And finally, as her tale concluded, Tsukiko approached her "Let me take a look at your wounds."  
She was surprised – but then again, was there a point in her friend hiding her healing talent to her mother when she had just came back from the past?  
A warm light was soon making its job, the bruises disappearing slowly, before Tsukiko focused on the place where the jewel had been.

"This is going to scar." her childhood friend said in a low voice  
"There's no helping it, isn't it?" sighed Kagome, not really surprised – while not big, the wound had been quite deep, and somehow she rather doubted that magical wounds healed like normal ones  
"I'm very proud of you." Jii-chan finally stated, while Natsumi was still looking at the healed bruises, a bit awed "The Shikon Legend is one you never seemed to remember no matter how many times I told it to you, but I guess it makes sense now..."

"How so?" Kagome wondered, realizing that she had indeed heard Jii-chan talk about it numerous times, now that he was telling it – and yet she still couldn't remember what exactly he had said about it  
"Hearing about your own fate before it happens isn't possible. Not as long as Fate herself doesn't allow it." Tsukiko stated simply "Your choices and actions must be your own, not imitations of what you heard you did..."

It made sense, Kagome decided – in a twisted kind of way.  
"What now?" she wondered  
"Well, now you do exactly what you told you'd do." Tsukiko said with a smile "You gather the Shikon shards." a sigh, and her eyes zeroed on the shard hanging around her neck, surprising Kagome – she had thought only the youkai with evil intentions could feel them "Speaking about it..."  
"We're going to have to strengthen the shrine's wards." Daisuke nodded, visibly following her friend's thoughts "Even I, with my feeble reiki, can feel this shard, so all the corrupted beings will flock to it if we let them."

"You... can feel it?"  
"Every being with a speck of holy powers can feel it." her grand-father snorted  
"So... You're talking quite freely about your powers?" Kagome asked "Is it because I was sent to the past?"  
"Indirectly, yes." Tsukiko explained "As you've just learned, there is more to the world than you knew... Youkai, miko, wizards... All of them exist in the past. And they still do here."

"It wasn't a dream wasn't it? That Kyu-bon night?" Kagome asked softly, hesitantly  
Tsukiko smiled, and as if she had only been waiting for her to ask, her appearance seemed to unravel under her eyes, black hair bleeding into white, ear turning elfin, green eyes gleaming gold, a blue moon and red claw mark adorning her face.  
Tsukiko didn't have dog ears – but she had three tails casually waving around.  
Even her clothes had changed, as she was now wearing a more traditional outfit, and had two blades tied at her waist.

"Youkai."  
It wasn't a question, but rather an affirmation, but it made her grand-father chuckle "Not _any_ youkai, Kagome-chan." he corrected with an amused smile "This is Taishou Tsukiko-hime, heiress of the House of Moon, daughter of the Lord of the West, one of the four Daiyoukai leading Japan's youkai population. Of of the most efficient Huntress in Japan..."  
"So cool!" Souta commented, trying to sneakily take a hold of Tsukiko's tail, only for the appendices to move out of his way with a flicker

"She is also the only youkai in existence able to use holy powers, in other words, reiki." Daisuke finished  
"Why didn't you say anything before?"  
"Laws are in place, and all magical beings are to obey them. As a priest, I was allowed to talk about my powers with my parents as a child, then my wife when I married. And of course any child I had could be told, and could potentially inherit my gift." the old priest explained  
"Tou-san... He was a priest too, wasn't he?" Kagome realized, thinking back to her memories of her father healing her scrapes

"He was," her mother nodded "but he didn't want to take over the shrine. Which is why he never told me, or you."  
"You weren't allowed to tell us? Even though we're family and lived together?" Kagome realized, turning toward her grand-father "It's stupid!"  
"All laws aren't perfect." Tsukiko nodded "But then again, we're a lot better off than magical England, for example, where laws are far more restrictive. Or even Hong-Kong, which is a lawless chaos compared to us..."  
"But when the well took you, it caused a surge of power that alerted the ministry, and so someone was sent, and seeing the situation, gave his authorization for full disclosure."

"I've even been invited to a magical school!" Souta shouted with glee "Kaa-san said I could go when I'm older!"  
"How come I was never invited then?" Kagome protested a bit childishly "I heal better than you!"  
"My shikigami are better, though!" Souta retorted with a grin  
"Your powers are sealed." Tsukiko explained "You were a better healer than me at five year old, so you don't lack power... But even near you, I don't feel it. This is probably something the Shikon no Tama did to you."  
"But... Why?"  
Tsukiko shrugged helplessly "I couldn't tell you. Maybe the jewel was trying to protect itself, or even yourself..."

¤.¤.¤

Kagome would have asked more questions, but Tsukiko turned her head toward the door, stating "Someone came through the well."  
The next moment, InuYasha was barging in "Hurry up, damn lazy girl! We've got problem!"  
"Uh? InuYasha?"  
Tsukiko's eyes widened – not only at the name, but at the scent too...

This...  
This was her father's sibling!

She didn't have time to linger on the thought, as her eyes fell on something – hair, infused with youki, attached to his clothes.  
"These hair!" Kagome recognized at the same time  
"He's given a way in to the enemy." Tsukiko nodded "Don't you feel the foreign youki stuck on your clothes?" she asked, a bit surprised at the brash attitude of the hanyou – she had after all only heard stories about him  
"What are you talking about?" Natsumi wondered

"We're under attack." Tsukiko stated calmly, rising up from the table and following the hair out, Kagome following her "You know this is going to be dangerous." she couldn't help but warn her friend, while sliding Kiba out of it's sheath  
"Well, even if it wasn't Fate's plan for me... It's my fault, isn't it? So I've got to fix it."  
Tsukiko smiled, while hacking at the hair multiplying around them "Good answer."

 **[Life Quest Complete! The will to fight...**  
 _Kagome has found the resolve to be the Shikon Miko_  
 **Reward:** +50XP, Kagome gains +50XP, Kagome gains Chaos Game 3.0]  
 **[Hunting Complete! Mistress Centipede**  
 **Reward:** +25XP,+1 Hunting Trophy]  
 **[Hunting Complete! Corpse Dancing Crow**  
 **Reward:** +25XP, +1 Hunting Trophy]  
 **[Level up!** Kagome is nos level 42!  
 _+1PP, +2CP, +3SP]_

Kagome's eyes widened, the notifications probably appearing in front of her eyes for the first time.  
"Well, that's one way to break it." Tsukiko sighed  
"What is this?"  
"A little help from the Gods." Tsukiko answered "But this isn't really the time..."

"Right!" Kagome realized – they were now nearing the shrine, and she realized that while Tsukiko was fighting with grace, and a certain nonchalance, Padfoot by her side protecting her back, InuYasha was struggling far more than she'd have though given how powerful he'd seemed to be the days before  
He didn't see the hair she realized as she watched him fighting – and even worse, there didn't seem to be any end to the hair, they only started to grow out again when Tsukiko cut them.

But they were all coming from the same direction – the well of course, they had crossed over with InuYasha...  
"Cutting the original hair that crossed over should put an end to this!" she realized

Both Tsukiko and InuYasha heard, and started to cut a path throughout the hair, working surprisingly well together for two people hadn't ever met before, and soon getting to the well's shrine, where Kagome spotted the only hair coming through the well.  
"Here it is!"  
"Get rid of it, I'll cover you."  
"How?"  
"Just purify it." a sigh "Right, your reiki is mostly sealed. We really have to change this."

Tsukiko, Kagome reflected, was rather calm for someone fighting for her life – but then again, now that she took a closer look at her friend, she didn't look like she had a hair out of place, and Padfoot had the same doggy grin he usually had when playing. She wasn't fighting for her life, Kagome realized – she was fighting defensively, and letting her do the attacking job.  
Letting her fix her mistake.

That was pretty usual of her childhood friend, come to think of it – Tsukiko was always ready to help her with good advice, but preferred to let Kagome try things by herself, staying by her side to help her back up if she fell. She took a look a the hair – well she didn't have a weapon, but she did have a hanyou, who was incidentally the one to bring the attacking youkai here.  
But then of course, InuYasha couldn't see the hair.

That, she realized, was a problem solved easily enough given how dangerous those hair were – dashing forward, she grabbed the one string coming out from the well, letting it bite into her palms, blood running along.  
InuYasha's eyes widened "I see it!" he exclaimed with a feral smile, jumping, and cutting out the string. Around them, all the animated hair fell to the ground like puppets, before sizzling and disappearing.

"Let's go!" InuYasha decreed, ready to jump back into the well as well "The bitch is still alive on the other side, and she's controlling all the village's girls!"  
Kagome's eyes widened at the statement, and she felt a stab of guilt – she had been so sure the youkai would go after her, rather than the villagers...

¤.¤.¤

"Let's go then." Tsukiko stated, drawing InuYasha's attention to her – he had been far more busy with fighting earlier  
"Who the hell are you, you bitch?"  
"I do hope this is a rhetorical question." Tsukiko commented "Because I'm pretty sure you can recognize me by my smell and my marking."

"This is the future right?" InuYasha realized "So... you're the bastard's daughter!"  
"If I do recall correctly, oji-san, chichi-ue isn't the bastard of the family." a shrug "Not that it really matters nowadays, family is family after all." her smile grew both colder and wilder "Still, I would rather appreciate it if you avoided insulting the Lord of the West on his own territory."  
"Oji-san!" Kagome repeated, startled  
"Why, yes." Tsukiko nodded with an amused smiled, "But this isn't really the time here again, after all oji-san did just say there were damsel in distress to rescue."

"Don't call me oji-san!" the hanyou protested, looking both annoyed and embarrassed "I mean you're probably older than me if you're already three-tailed!" a snort "May be you're even older than the bastard..."  
"He's not going to stop calling chichi-ue a bastard, eh?" Tsukiko sighed, looking slightly annoyed at the realization  
"If it makes you feel better Tsuki-hime, he tends to insult everyone." Kagome revealed with an amused smile

"Ah well..." then realizing what he'd said "And I'm not older than you, use your nose! I'm not even in my first century!" she protested – no matter the specie, one just didn't say things like that about a lady's age  
InuYasha, who was getting ready to jump into the well, tripped – and fell, while protesting "Bullshit!"  
"He just called me old." growled Tsukiko, vexed "I can't believe the nerve of him!" she turned back toward the arriving priest "We're heading out, Daisuke-kun."

"Take care of my grand-daughter, Tsuki-hime."  
"Always, old friend." promised the youkai with a smile, before jumping in the well, and disappearing with a flash of light, her trusty familiar in tow  
"I have to go, jii-chan." repeated Kagome, both feeling guilty at the obvious worry she was causing her family, and the people that were suffering in the past because of her  
"We know Kagome-chan." a smile "We understand. Now go!"  
She jumped too.

Both Tsukiko and InuYasha were waiting for her in the bottom of the well, five hundred year in the past. The youkai pressed something in her hands, just as the hanyou dropped something on her head.  
InuYasha had lent her his haori she realized, as he commented "It's Hi-nezumi's fur, it'll protect you since you're so weak."

Tsukiko grinned approvingly, then jumped out of the well beside the hanyou, taking the miko along her – and Kagome's eyes briefly widened when she realized Padfoot was already waiting for them in the clearing.  
"Well, here's our welcome committee." commented Tsukiko, before dropping Kagome on InuYasha's back  
"Eh!" protested the hanyou  
"Don't tell me you aren't able to carry one young girl?" teased the youkai, making him grumble, but carry the miko – Kagome marveled at her friend's way with words, amused at how easily InuYasha had been manipulated into carrying her  
It was only logical in the end – InuYasha was faster than her, while she could see the enemy's weapon – while Tsukiko visibly could do both but was inclined to let them do the work and merely act as a back-up...

The three companions rushed ahead, Padfoot trailing faithfully alongside his mistress, following the hair threads until they arrived to what looked like a giant hair-ball.  
"Oh my, what splendid preys I've caught!" and indeed Yura was here, apparently already convinced of her future victory "You've already been talked about among the Oni, InuYasha! The hanyou's who's a lap-dog to a miko... and a baby Daiyoukai working with humans, what a shame. Both of you have beautiful hair, I'll make you part of my collection!"

With that, hair rushed around to attack them, and each dodged in a different direction.  
While Tsukiko was leisurely dodging the hair, making their opponent temper grow, InuYasha, even helped by Kagome indications, was at a disadvantage, having to be led rather than being able to see the attacks coming at him. He was helped, at least, in the fact that the attacks coming at him were far less dangerous for a hanyou than they were for a human, not able to cut through his skin like they had done for the miko earlier...

Finally, fed up by the lack of results her attacks were having, the Oni drew the blade that had been stashed at he side – cutting from afar a large wound across InuYasha's chest, where his haori was no longer protection him.  
"This," the Oni bragged "is my beloved sword Benigasumi! It can cut through flesh, without damaging any hair!" a satisfied smile "In other words," she told InuYasha "I can cut you while keeping you tied!"

She prepared herself for her next attack – then stopped in her tracks, as a large amount of her hair had been cut in one swipe.  
Kagome, standing by InuYasha's side, and protected by the clothe he'd lent her, was standing defiantly.  
"What is this?" wondered the surprised Oni, watching as the young miko, who'd seemed devoid of any talent earlier, was now swiftly cutting through the hair coming toward her

The girl, who'd looked harmless, and weaponless, a moment earlier, was now looking quite at ease with the simple yet curiously effective naginata she was using. Even InuYasha, trapped as he was in the web of hair, couldn't help but feel impressed – maybe the girl wasn't quite as useless as he'd deemed earlier after all...  
"What a curious choice of weapon for a miko." Yura commented "No matter," she added "it wont prevent me from killing you, girl."  
"Just try." Kagome retorted with more confidence than she really was feeling, cutting through a number of head that were making up the heart of Yura's web, and still wondering how the tanto Tsukiko had given her earlier was suddenly a light and practical naginata

"Very well! Oni bi gushi!" with a wave of her hair-comb, waves of fire were shot at the miko, making her laugh "Not even the marrow of your bones will be left!"  
"Your bitch!" InuYasha screamed as flames engulfed the annoying girl he'd know for only a couple of day  
His own claws dug into his wounds, blood spilling around – and making the hair visible, and the next second he was free, using his own blood to see the Oni's weapon. On more attack and he'd freed himself, taking off one of Yura's hands in the same strike.  
The furious Oni's attack were suddenly a lot more intense – skulls as well as hair rushing toward the hanyou.

And never getting to him, neatly cut by a beautiful blade.  
"I can't believe you focused on one enemy when three people came to attack you." Tsukiko commented, looking both disappointed and bored "Are you really that stupid?" she wondered, her weapon dancing around her in the efficient and elegant way of someone used to fight with a blade  
Yura opened her mouth to answer - before turning the other way quite suddenly.

"Eh." realized InuYasha "So there's something out there she doesn't want found, isn't there?" with one powerful jump, he caught up with Kagome, not as dead as he had feared, just as the girl took hold of a skull victoriously  
"All of her attacks," she claimed "they are coming from here!"  
With a swift move of her naginata , the skull was broken into pieces – and with an unearthly scream, Yura's body seemed to break down, her hair decaying on the ground, and the Oni dying in front of their eyes.

"Tch. The coward had hidden her soul away." understood InuYasha, not congratulating the young miko, yet still very impressed  
Kagome was soon rushing back toward Tsukiko and Padfoot, and giving back his clothing to the hanyou "Thank you, InuYasha. Without this haori, I would've surely died." then she turned toward Tsukiko "And this..."

Tsukiko snorted "Don't try to give me this back," a shrug "after all you missed your birthday."  
"Beside," InuYasha snorted "this is a weapon capable of channeling reiki. It's useless to a youkai."  
But Tsukiko was able to channel reiki, Kagome remembered as she eyed the weapon speculatively – even if InuYasha clearly hadn't caught on. Still, Tsukiko hadn't said anything ,so she would kept her friends' abilities hidden for now she decided while pocketing the tanto.  
Beside, they still had a lot of things to talk about...

 **[Hunting Complete! Yura of the Reverse Hair**  
 **Reward:** +25XP, +1 Hunting Trophy]

Yes, Kagome thought, eyeing the game like windows speculatively – a lot of things to talk about...  
"Let's check on the villager first!" she decided out loud – then, she didn't say, they'd talk  
InuYasha looked ready to protest for a moment, clearly still wanting some answer about his new found niece, but after a menacing glare from Kagome and the first two syllables of the subduing spell, he relented.

* * *

¤.¤.¤

* * *

It was only several hours latter that they were finally able to get back to Kaede's hut, the old woman having spent quite some time helping the villagers despite having been hurt herself.  
Then, Tsukiko explained about how the magical world had hidden itself away around the world, how all magical beings now cooperated and stayed hidden in the modern world, going on explaining how Mahoutokoro provided for all its different students.

"So... I guess Jii-chan already knew you were a youkai, judging from how he spoke about it?"  
"He was finishing his advanced studies as a priest when I started my first cycle of study as a youkai."  
"When you say he was finishing his studies..." Kagome wondered  
"He was in his early twenties." Tsukiko nodded, amused

A beat.

"Eh?"  
"Don't shout, stupid girl!" InuYasha protested, ears flattening on his head "What's the big deal?"  
"But... it means... you're old, Tsuki-chan?" Kagome finally asked  
All three around her laughed. Even Padfoot looked as if he was finding her question amusing.  
Finally, it was the old miko who said "Youkai live much longer than humans, child. But it also means they don't age the same way."

"The bastard's daughter said she wasn't even a century old earlier. In other words, she's not old, she's a fucking infant!"  
"I'm not a pup anymore, I've started my second growing spur!" protested the girl he was talking about  
"Well then you're not a baby, just a child!" mocked the hanyou, earning himself yet another dark glare from his newfound niece

They went on to explain about youkai age in comparison to humans – Kagome learning that InuYasha was well over two centuries, for example, and that even here in the past Tsukiko's father was twice as old, yet was regarded as very young for a youkai of his stature.  
Of course, InuYasha refused to explain what 'his stature' was, but since her grand-father had explained a bit earlier about how Tsukiko's father was someone very important, she guessed it must already be true. She'd learn more about it later, when the hanyou wasn't grumbling as loudly.

Now that she had a bit more background about what had been going on around her, came the questions that had been bothering her for hours.  
"So... what's the deal with this... Chaos Game?" InuYasha, who didn't know what she was talking about, looked nonplussed, as did Kaede, while Tsukiko stretched lazily, and snuggled herself comfortably against Padfoot before starting to explain  
"You, Kagome-chan, are touched by Fate. One of her chosen Hero, whose life will have an impact on the very world we live in."

"Eh? Me? No way! I'm just..."  
"You are." the wolf stopped her protests easily "But it only means you have the potential for greatness, not that you already are."  
"I don't want to be a hero."  
"Of course not. What intelligent person would want to be a hero?" Tsukiko shrugged easily "But you've already started."  
"What do you mean?"

"You decided to own up to your mistake and get back the Shikon no Tama, didn't you?"  
"Yes..." Kagome hesitantly answered, wondering where the youkai was going with that  
"Well there you have it, Shikon no Miko." smiled her childhood friend "You've already started your quest."  
"Oh... It's a bit like what Jii-chan was saying then? I have been chosen for this? But what if I hadn't wanted to do it?"  
"Then you'd have doomed the world to an age of chaos." a shrug "It sounds bad like this, but it has happened from time to time. That's one of the risk with mortals having free will."

Kagome stayed silent for a while, thinking about it.  
While she really didn't see herself as a hero, she had accepted to be the Shikon no Miko, as Tsukiko had titled it. If that meant that by doing that, she stayed on he path that had been intended for her to walk, then so be it – it's not like she wanted to create an era of chaos, that was precisely why she had decided to gather the shards back.  
Then she realized something...  
"What's the link with Chaos Game?"

"I was coming to that, we just got side-tracked." Tsukiko teased "Like I said, you have been chosen by Fate. I was one of her chosen one too, a long time ago."  
Tsukiko's smile dimmed, and she barely reacted to the surprise around her as she thought out her next words "I was born a witch, in times where a dark wizard was wrecking chaos, and before I was even born, a prophecy had been made saying that only I could kill him. I grew up unprepared, had to fight the man year after year with only my two best friends by my side, survived each time only by shear luck." her eyes darkened "And I killed him at seventeen."

Kagome couldn't look away, as Tsukiko golden eyes had bled into an ethereal green "When I died, I was given the chance to avoid something like what happened to me. To avoid children being trusted in bloody destiny without even a life-line or a basic idea about what they were doing...I've been reincarnated thrice since then, and each time I did what I could..."  
"To prepare." Kagome understood suddenly – why her friend had always pushed her, in her studies, in her training, making her learn to think for herself since quite young, never letting herself become complacent "Is this why you befriended me?"  
"While it is easier helping you as a friend, it wasn't a necessity." denied the youkai "I've vowed to help other heroes, but I do want them to be good people. If you weren't someone I could respect I wouldn't have become your friend, I'd have just helped from afar."

Kagome smiled, reassured – and not doubting her for a second, because she had already seen how cold and aloof Tsukiko could act toward people she didn't like.  
"As a boon for accepting to help the other heroes, the gods gave me one gift."  
"Chaos Game?"  
"Chaos Game." there was laughter in her eyes "he thought it funny to make my life into a game. It works like most RPG, and once you're used to it, it's really helpful."

¤.¤.¤

Tsukiko had spent most of the evening guiding her around the different Systems unlocked in the game – Kagome had mainly see her little brother playing fighting games on his console, so she needed a bit of time to become used to it.  
The party system had made Kagome ask about adding InuYasha to it, since he was to be her partner on her search for the shards – and the brash boy had of course bragged about the fact he didn't need any help to be strong. Then, Tsukiko had claimed that he was to stupid to understand something as complicated, and the next second he was added to Chaos' Game as a member of a _Shikon Shard_ _Hunting_ _Party,_ and Kagome was silently laughing at how easily the hanyou had been manipulated.

As for explaining him how Chaos Game worked – Tsukiko hadn't been that far off by saying he wouldn't understand a thing, he didn't have the basic understanding of video games the two modern girls had on their side to help themselves navigate the god's gift. Thankfully, his stubbornness was more than enough to help him painstakingly learn to understand the basis of the Chaos Interface.  
Kagome had been surprised by how patient her friend had been toward the hanyou, which she knew to find annoying with his habit of insulting her father, until she softly explained while he was busy trying to learn, that she had to explain the game to two five year old in a previous life.

The young miko had realized with that explanation how lucky she was – that she hadn't fallen into this well earlier, or with her little brother.  
It wasn't until the next day, as she was woken up early by Tsukiko for a bit of training, that she realized "I'm going to miss school quite a lot, eh?"  
"You are." nodded the wolf while they went through their kata "It would be easier for you to drop out."  
"Eh!"

"Mahoutokoro, the school Souta has been invited to is used to all sort of strange circumstances from its students," Tsukiko explained "they are agreeable to take you as a part-time student. They'll give you packets to study, and you'll be tested from time to time when we go home."  
"I'd have to study alone here?"  
"Well, that's what you're going to have to do in any case. And it's not like I can't help you, I have been through school several times already." a grin "And I already plan to drill you on your practical miko knowledge now that you're allowed to by the government!"

Kagome eyes widened - this had been something she had been waiting for ever since Souta had animated his first shikigami years ago. She jumped in the air in victory with a happy shout – making InuYasha grumble, as always.  
After early training, the two girl had gone back to the river for a bath, Kagome complaining once more about the cold water, and Tsukiko laughing at her antics. While she had decided to do her best in the past, the young miko was still a modern girl, used to accommodations that were considered completely alien in this time period, whereas the youkai already had to adapt herself to different situation several times...

"Keh! Bathing again?" InuYasha was heard complaining "It's not going to make your stench go away!"  
"Osuwari!" Kagome shouted heatedly, before turning toward Tsukiko "I can't believe this pervert is peeping again!"  
The youkai shrugged, unconcerned, "What's the big deal? He's pack after all..."  
"Uh?"  
Both InuYasha and Kagome were surprised at the easy admission – one because he didn't expect this kind of acceptance, the other because she didn't even know what it meant...

¤.¤.¤

"InuYasha is half-dog, obviously, and I'm half-dog half-wolf." Tsukiko explained, seeing her friend didn't understand "We aren't humans Kagome-chan, not only because we have stronger senses, or can use youki, our society and traditions are different too."  
"What's being part of a pack has to do with peeping?"  
"Well a pack live and does everything together. You can compare it to a family, but it's different. We live, eat, sleep together. Nudity really isn't that big of a deal when you've bathed with the other regularly, and it doesn't have to be promiscuous either."

Kagome was really surprised at the description – but it was clear that Tsukiko wasn't lying, she really didn't see the problem in being naked in front of the boy, and from the way he was acting toward her, it seemed he didn't really care about it either "Why would you accept me as pack that easily?" he huffed, his apparent annoyance not hiding the trace of longing Kagome could guess underneath  
"You're blood."  
"Never forbid the bastard from trying to kill me."  
Tsukiko laughed "Oh InuYasha, how else is he supposed to teach you?"  
"Er..."

Tsukiko eyes widened as she saw he really didn't understand. Then she sighed "Oh, I guess you did most of your growing up with your mother, so your instincts really aren't as strong as ours."  
"What would you know!"  
"I've been human three times already, oji, of course I know!" she laughed, making him grumble once more at being called uncle "But father is full youkai, and at this point in time never had any cause to mingle with humans, so he's acting on youkai standards, not human ones..." she sighed – if InuYasha had been looking at her father's action as a human, it was no wonder he hated him

"So why would trying to kill his brother be normal?" Kagome wondered  
"Us youkai are much more resilient than human, and heal a lot faster too. So the better education method was considered for a long time to beat it into you until you understood. Since we're about five hundred years in the past, it's still the favorite education method."  
"It's barbaric!" the teenaged girl protested, eyes widening – before remembering that her friend was usually able to explain things that revolted her

And once more, she wasn't to be let down "It's more of a necessity. Beating someone within an inch of his life is the fastest way to teach him to survive, and in this era, the tensions between several youkai species are so high that children have to learn to survive the earliest possible. Better half-killed by your father in training than killed for real during an attack of an enemy clan because you weren't trained hard enough..."

Put like this – Kagome sighed, even without knowing youkai and magic to be real, this era was considered by many as the bloodiest of their history, with countless lords bickering to gain a bit more territory to their name, with warrior dying for them, and peasants having to survive multiple destruction of their crops, or requisitions of the food for the higher class...  
"With Inu no Taishou dead, father became the de facto alpha of our family, and as such ensuring InuYasha's survival is part of his responsibilities..."  
"Tchh. As if I needed his help!"

Neither girl remarked on the fact he didn't call Tsukiko's father a bastard for the first time, but they didn't miss it either.  
Kagome felt a pang of sadness – InuYasha's brashness, it seemed, was a barrier to protect himself from loneliness, and she could see that he had been clearly interested in Tsukiko's explanation, even if he'd put on an uninterested act.


	5. Game On 30 IV Tessaiga

**Chapter 4. August 1996 Tessaiga**

They had finished washing up, and started discussing about heading out to find the shards, when Tsukiko's attention was caught by something the other two couldn't – an amused smile on her lips, she informed them "We're about to have some company."

No sooner had she said, that a large carriage appeared in the air, as if fleeing from something – something that soon appeared to be some kind of gigantic oni. Then, Kagome realized that the Oni wasn't alone, two smaller silhouette could be seen on of his arms, one of them eerily familiar.  
Before she could say, or do anything, chains were lashing at the carriage, and a beautiful, dark haired woman, dressed in the finery of nobility, was bound and was looking at her assailant with terror in her eyes.

"Sesshoumaru! What game are you playing at, you bastard?"  
Just from InuYasha's tone, Kagome knew she had to be missing something about the situation.

Whatever the youkai had been about to answer, he snapped his mouth shut, an eyebrow rising slightly – and casually throwing the woman he had been attacking a moment before to the ground, he stepped down with effortless grace, focused on the young canine youkai in front of him.  
"How quaint." head slightly tilted as if to better observe her "You bear this Sesshoumaru's mark and scent. Explain yourself, pup."

"It's quite simple," Tsukiko answered easily, yet head tilted to bare her neck in the respectful and traditional fashion, Padfoot doing the same thing by her side – this may be her father, he wasn't used to her yet "I've been sent from the future to guide one of Fate's chosen, chichi-ue."

The youkai didn't have any time to answer, as InuYasha was still waiting for answers "What the fuck are you doing with my mother's look-alike?"  
Tsukiko turned her attention toward said woman – then sighed "I already told you to use your senses better, oji! This is no human being!"  
The affirmation surprised both Kagome and InuYasha, that turned their attention toward her – while Sesshoumaru kept on observing her "This is a mu onna, a spirit formed by the aggregation of the soul of several grieving mothers who lost their child." the young goddess explained "This is a pitiful grotesque being that shouldn't existed, but grief can twist the soul just as much as anger..."  
Kagome eyes had widened at the description, and she could indeed feel a bit the unnatural presence now that she knew about it.

"Keh! What are you playing at using something like that?" InuYasha asked, anger clear in his tone "Your daughter was telling me you trying to kill me was just training, and I was half-way convinced into believing her, and you pull something like that..." he growled, canine ancestry clear in his voice  
"This and that are two different matters." Sesshoumaru answered with a bored expression "This Sesshoumaru doesn't have time to waste with lessons today, I am looking for father's grave."  
"Why would I know something like that, fucker?" InuYasha snapped back

Tsukiko and Kagome shared a commiserating look – the hanyou had held out a good two sentences before resorting to insults, that was better than nothing, right?  
Both girls were wondering whether to interfere between the two brothers that seemed quite content to insult each other, but then an annoying buzzing noise, soon followed by an annoyed slap, and Tsukiko was holding a rather large flea between her claws "Do not attempt to feed on me without asking." she warned in a cold tone – she knew better than anyone else the powers blood could held, what with having her blood used in a resurrection ritual against her will several life-times ago  
By her side, Padfoot was growling too, hackles raised, and making a fearsome picture – no doubt he too, was thinking about that damned night in the cemetery.

A small gulping nose was heard, quickly followed by a fearful voice "I'm sorry, hime-sama, I didn't know Sesshoumaru-sama had an heir."  
"Well now you know. So speak flea, what are you doing here?"  
"I'm Myouga, I was the great Inu no Taishou's retainer, and I was tasked with protecting his younger son!"  
"And what a marvelous job you've done." Tsukiko muttered sarcastically – her uncle wasn't a bad man, but he clearly lacked a lost of basic knowledge even a hanyou should have, something the retainer should have imparted him if he had done his duties correctly

"Well this world is dangerous for a youkai as small as I am..."  
"Yes, yes, I'm sure you have numerous excuses for your failure." she waved his stammering explanation away "Why are you here right now?"  
"I heard Sesshoumaru-sama was looking for the entrance to his father's grave in order to steal his brother's inheritance!"

"This Sesshoumaru has no intention of stealing anything." the other youkai contradicted "There is no reason my father's blades shouldn't come into my hands."  
"You already possess Tenseiga, a powerful blade inherited from your honorable father!" the flea pointed out "Tessaiga was always meant for InuYasha-sama!"  
"A blade that doesn't cut is worthless."

The air chilled around Tsukiko as her father spit out those words "Excuse me? Did you just call the Tenseiga useless?" golden eyes flickered an ethereal green "Do try to think before speaking."  
"Should you really speak like that to your alpha?" her father challenged, an eyebrow raised and power unfurling around him  
"While I love you, chichi-ue, I am alpha too, those markings aren't for show." she corrected "And I despise it when people aren't able to realize what they have been gifted with. If you are even already half as powerful as you are in the future you should be able to sense why quite easily."

¤.¤.¤

Intrigued by the affirmation, the yokai tilted his head, focusing on the aura dancing around her, while InuYasha asked, curiosity stronger than animosity "What's so special about those weapons?"  
"The Tessaiga and Tenseiga are both weapons forged from Inu no Taishou's own fangs," the flea explained "One is called the Sword of Earth, and is able to cut down one hundred youkai in one swing, while the other is the Sword of Heaven and is able to raise one hundred dead in one swing."  
"A sword that raise the dead?" Kagome repeated, eyes widening "How is this even possible?"

"With great skill from the craftsman and the wielder, and divine approval." the youkai princess simplified, still clearly annoyed at her father's careless remark  
"This Sesshoumaru doesn't need a healing sword. As one that follow the path of supreme conquest I should have been the one to inherit the Tessaiga." commented said youkai "I do not deny the power of the sword, just it's usefulness for me."  
She unwound slightly – so he did understand that the power over death wasn't one lightly handed at least; he just hadn't learned yet to accept it, his warrior pride getting in the way.

Well, she had heard that her father had had trouble with grasping emotion when younger, partly because of his strict education as heir of the West, partly to the fact he had inherited the land far too young; for a few centuries, acting as an icy prick had been the only way to maintain his authority in front of the older Lords.  
"It's not as if you would need it." Myouga muttered "You are already more than powerful enough to kill a hundred of lesser youkai with your bare claws..."  
The affirmation made Tsukiko raise an eyebrow – then she remembered that just as the flea had unwittingly pointed out to her the Great Disappearance hadn't occurred yet, and the country was filled with beast youkai that wouldn't last a second against her father, even if he was less powerful than he'd be in a few centuries...

"So, you're looking for your father's grave because the Tessaiga was buried with him?" wondered Kagome "But why don't you know where his tomb is?"  
"Because the great Inu no Taishou ensured that his body would be well hidden before passing away!" Myouga proudly explained  
"Well I guess we could at least look for it. Oji doesn't have a weapon after all." Tsukiko declared lightly

 **[Life Quest! A father's bequeath...**  
 **Goal:** Find the Inu no Taishou's grave  
 **Reward:** +50XP per goal, +1 Perk Point upon completion]

"Tch, its not as if I need a weapon anyway!" muttered InuYasha  
"You don't want the inheritance your father left you?" Tsukiko couldn't help but ask in a bewildered manner  
"Like I said," the hanyou shrugged "I don't use a sword. That's what my claws are for."

"Your choice of weapon is your own," the younger ookami nodded easily "but having a spare is always good, and beside I wasn't talking about the fighting value of the sword."  
Seeing at his curious look that he wasn't understanding – and that neither Kagome nor Sesshoumaru seemed to get her point either, even if the later hid it better – Tsukiko sighed, and pointed out patiently "Just like my parents did for me in my first life, just like my mother did in this life... Your father died to protect you, oji-san. Don't you want a memento from the man who gave his life for yours?"

Kagome could read in InuYasha's eyes the surprise when Tsukiko stated that her parent's had died for her, followed by a surge of acceptance – this was probably the first time he looked at the girl he'd known for all of a day as family, rather than just an acquaintance.  
The young priestess eyes softened as she saw something change in their shard hunting partner change. In his usual brash manner, the hanyou turned toward his half-brother "Heard your daughter, bastard?" he taunted "I'm not letting you have that sword!"  
"Seems like the value of father's inheritance finally hit your feeble mind." was Sesshoumaru's calm retort

And just like that, the two brothers were back to insulting each other, InuYasha loud and annoyed, Sesshoumaru calm and collected in appearance yet childishly answering back to each remark – Tsukiko smiled as she realized that her father was still very young compared to the future.  
Kagome and her shared an amused glance, and the two girls turned their attention back to the mu onna still prostrated on the ground "So... a spirit..." Kagome remembered her friend's earlier explanation "Can we help her?" she asked

Tsukiko smiled at the girl inherent kindness, and switched to lecture mode without even realizing it "Holy servants are among those able to deal with lingering spirits." she confirmed "Several exorcism ceremonies exist to deal with them."  
"Why several ceremonies rather than just one?"  
"Because not all spirits will let themselves be sent to the after-life peacefully, among other reason." she knelt before the softly wailing spirit "But generally the only thing tethering mu onna to the Mortal Realm is the sorrow of having lost their child and wanting it back..."

"But..." Kagome immediately realized, turning her attention to the spirit that was only now remarking their presence "If their child is dead, shouldn't they want to pass on faster to be reunited with them?"  
""They should." nodded Tsukiko "But rationality is hard to keep when dying, you have to remember that, and a lot of being are afraid of dying, never realizing that there is no life without death."  
"So what should we do?"

"I... I want to see my son again... Will I see him in death?" the spirit finally asked in a hopeful, yet tired voice  
"Young souls are send back in the reincarnation circle rapidly." Tsukiko explained patiently, not wanting to lie even if it would have been easier "By refusing to pass on, you may have lost the chance to see him. But you will be able to see his new life should you choose so. And when you're ready... You'll go back to the living too."

The spirit eyes shone with regrets at the first part of the explanation – then the second part brought back hope, then acceptance, and the beautiful, yamato nadeshiko like spirit nodded, then bowed in front of the youkai "Then please help me, holy being."  
Kagome's eyes widened at the appellation, wondering what the spirit could sense about her friend that she didn't, but Tsukiko simply smiled, a shikigami swiftly appearing out of her Inventory and scribbling a single word on it, power swirling around her in waves of green, cold energy.

Kagome only had time to realized that she didn't recognize the language used on the paper figure before it flared, and took the form of a tall, broad-shouldered man with short dark hairs and an eye-patch  
"Little Shadow, dogfather." he greeted Tsukiko with a slight bow, then nodding to ward Padfoot before turning his attention to her "Little priestess." he added, nodding to her too – she briefly wondered if she should feel insulted to warrant only as much respect as a dog, then quickly reminded herself that Padfoot was probably far from an ordinary canine

"I'm not small, you're the one that's too tall." grumbled the youkai half-hardheartedly, visibly used to the appellation  
"Yet not once in four life did you grow over 170 centimeters." retorted the man in a way that indicated that this answer too was usual, before growing more serious "Why did you call me?"  
Tsukiko turned toward the spirit "A lost soul need help reaching Death's Realm." she explained

Wrath – because, of course, he was the one she had called – nodded.  
For a normal priestess, calling a shinigami to show the way to the after-life to a spirit was possible, but it involved a long, convoluted ceremony, while the young goddess could simply call her own underling, seeing as she was Death's sister.  
Since the only being working for her that had direct access to Death's Islands was Wrath, calling him had been the simplest solution – a solution that would have been much more demanding on her physical body if not for Magic's gifts. Padfoot, while technically one of her underlings, was restricted to the Mortal Realms at the beginning of each life just like herself, being her familiar.

"It shall be done." the former homunculus nodded, gesturing at the spirit, who followed him after a last bow toward the two girls  
Soon, both had disappeared, leaving behind only the lingering feeling of Death's cold powers.  
"This isn't how I thought a shinigami would look like." Kagome commented lightly "But I'm glad that spirit could pass on peacefully."

 **[Hunting Complete! Mu Onna**  
 **Reward:** +25XP, +1 Hunting Trophy]

 **[Level up!** Kagome is now level 43!  
 _+1SP]_

Tsukiko raised an eyebrow at the notification, not having realized it would be considered as a successful hunt, but not about to turn down free experience, before warning Kagome "This only went so well because the spirit was not so far gone that it had lost all sense. Otherwise we'd have to subdue it before sending it on... And when the spirit is too far gone, the soul cannot be saved, and is either dragged to Purgatory, or destroyed."  
Kagome nodded at the warning, and Tsukiko turned toward a stunned flea "Well, now let's get back to oji-san's sword, shall we?" the flea seemed to want to ask something, then changed his mind "You wish for InuYasha-sama to inherit the Tessaiga?" he seemed perplexed at her lack of desire for the powerful sword

¤.¤.¤

With a sigh, guessing at the old youkai's problem, she pointed out "Even a youkai with feeble senses like you are should have guessed what I am with this small demonstration, so why would I need the Sword of Earth?"  
"True." the flea couldn't help but answer immediately "And you did convince InuYasha-sama to claim his inheritance." with a long exhalation, he stated "The right black pearl of the unsuspecting guardian. This is where Inu no Taishou-sama hid away the entrance to his resting place."

Kagome and Tsukiko were both nonplussed at the convoluted affirmation, but Sesshoumaru's voice was amused – even if only Tsukiko could tell "Protecting his grave by not telling it's guardian it is protecting it."  
"How could someone protect a grave without knowing?" InuYasha protested  
"Quite easily, brother" the word sounded more like a mockery than an acknowledgment, but the hanyou did realize that the fact the elder youkai had bestowed him the title for the first time was telling "By hiding a portal within the chosen guardian's body without telling him."  
The young lord turned toward a small, toad-like youkai "Jaken! The nintoujou!"  
The newly named Jaken fumbled around with an ugly, twisted staff bearing the head of a man and a woman "Here, Sesshoumaru-sama!"

"Now, for the black pearl..." the tall, white-haired youkai turned toward his half-sibling, and with a movement so swift only Tsukiko could follow it, dug his claw in his eye-socket, retrieving, just as he had said, a small black pearl that had been hidden there  
Tsukiko sighed at the bloody method her father had favored, somehow not surprised – he always took way too much fun at beating her during their training spars – while InuYasha screamed in agony, and Kagome in shock. Turning toward her friend, she put a calming hand on her arm "We youkai heal faster than humans, Kagome, oji will be fine in a few hours..."  
"How can you be so calm? He just pulled out his eye... like a teeth!" Kagome snapped back

"Look again," she said patiently, knowing the young miko wasn't yet used to the casual violence of the Sengoku era, which was even more present among youkai  
Still, the teenage girl was so used to listen to her advice that she did calm down a bit, and approaching the brash hanyou, confirmed to herself that he still had two eyes, even if one was quite bloody. Biting her lips, she turned her head toward Tsukiko "Can I..."  
The ookami smiled and nodded before she had even asked her question, and resolve made, Kagome turned back toward InuYasha, power humming in her hands. The hanyou watched her warily with his valid eye "What do you think you're doing, onna?"

"Healing you. Now shut up and let me work."  
A snort "Miko powers don't work on youkai! Not even hanyou like myself!"  
"That's not quite true." contradicted Tsukiko, surprising both her father and his brother – the former snapping his attention away from the pearl in his hand toward her "It's just that miko in this era haven't yet grasped how to adapt their powers to heal youkai, since they are more used to fight them." a shrug "Kagome have been healing me since she was five year old."

Once more, Sesshoumaru had to hid his surprise, something that had happened more time since meeting his daughter than in the past century. After all, healing with pure power, like the miko was doing to his vocally reluctant half-brother, was something most holy humans struggled to do – to think that slip of a girl had had so much power since so young...

Within a few moments, InuYasha was healed, Kagome looking a bit winded, and Sesshoumaru was nodding toward his retainer – the toad respectfully gave him his staff, and with a decisive movement, he struck it toward the pearl that was now on the ground.  
With a flash of magic, the old, shriveled, man's head started to cackle, and a portal opened, and the inu youkai wasted no time stepping through.

¤.¤.¤

Tsukiko observed the portal her father and his retainer had already disappeared through, recognizing the now familiar feeling the black light was giving.  
"A grave between the Mortal Realms and Death Islands, how interesting..." she whispered to herself, wondering how her powers would act in such a place – well only one way to know "Let's go!" she stated, Padfoot already jumping in by her side  
With a shared glance of incomprehension at her sudden jovial attitude, Kagome and InuYasha followed suite.

They appeared in the air, far above a gigantic dog's skeleton. The miko's eyes went round, she had known InuYasha's father had been an inu youkai, but after having seen Tsukiko and Sesshoumaru's appearance, this clearly wasn't what she had been expecting.

"Youkai are born in their animal form," Tsukiko, like always was guessing about her thoughts before she had even put them into words "And when they die, they reverse back to their birth form."  
At that affirmation, Kagome couldn't help but eye the youkai hime curiously, wondering what her animal form looked like – but her attention was soon dragged toward Chaos Game as a notification flashed by.

[ **Goal complete:** +50XP  
 **Goal update:** Awaken the Tessaiga]

 **[Level up!** Kagome is now level 44!  
 _+1SP]_

"Awaken?" she couldn't help but mouth, wondering what the game was talking about  
"Many high-end youkai made weapon have an awakened form, generally activated by pouring youki into it, just like you tanto only shift to naginata when you pour reiki into it."  
"Oh, that makes sense. Thanks Tsuki-chan, I don't know how lost I would be feeling without you right now!" a bark "And you too Padfoot, of course."

Said dog had shifted to a larger form and caught them on his back as they had appeared in the air, and was now heading toward the skeleton that from up close looked even more impressive, and soon they were in front of the gigantic rib-cage, still covered by an old looking samurai armor.  
As soon as they touched the ground, the mischievous Grimm switched back to his normal height, making both Kagome and InuYasha stumble, the later catching his footing faster, while Tsukiko, who had simply seemed to glide down along him laughed at his prank – just as she had thought, she had access to more power in this place in-between the Realms.

Soon, all were turning their attention back to the reason for their presence - right next to the gigantic spine of the legendary Inu no Taishou, embedded into an engraved stone, was a rusty looking katana...  
"This is father's inheritance?" mocked InuYasha, not impressed by the weapon's appearance, yet eyes softening at it's sentimental value  
"Feel, oji-san..." stressed Tsukiko once more, a trace of awe in her voice

"Tsukiko-hime is right, InuYasha-sama," the flea that had hitched a ride on the hanyou admonished "Don't let yourself be fooled by the Tessaiga's look."  
While a bit annoyed at Myouga's repeat performance, InuYasha did focus his youki on the weapon, as unused as he was to using his power like that – and even someone as inexperienced at sensing with youki as he was could immediately feel the weapon's power.  
Once more, his niece was right, like she had the annoying habit to be; the wolf girl really was quite likable for all that she was the bastard's daughter.

Sesshoumaru was already stepping toward the sword, but that wasn't too big of a surprise; even if InuYasha had stated that he would take his inheritance, the youkai wouldn't just let him have it that easily, he understood that all the better that Sesshoumaru had all but confirmed Tsukiko's explanation about training earlier without even batting an eyelid about it – he had really thought of his killing attempts as normal training...  
What was more surprising was the barrier flaring to life when the full-blooded youkai tried to take a hold of the hilt, heavily scorching his hand.

"Ah! Can't even draw out a sword can you!" InuYasha taunted, amused at the hint of annoyance he could read in his brother's eyes  
"Well, why don't you try it, hanyou?" the youkai calmly answered back  
"I will!" InuYasha bragged, seeing no reason why he wouldn't be able to take a hold of the weapon – the flea had said it was his inheritance after all  
A burnt hand latter, he had realized that the katana clearly wasn't informed it was supposed to be his...

After laughing a bit at both brothers, and easily avoiding both retaliating attacks, Tsukiko approached the weapon, dragging Kagome with her "Come, it's lesson time!"  
"Now?" protested Kagome as she was soon face-to-stone with the rock the weapon was embedded into  
"It's a practical case," Tsukiko pointed at the stone "see those engraving? They are powering the barrier that forbid chichi-ue and oji-san from touching the Tessaiga. There is probably another enchantment on the blade, but that one it probably hidden under the grip."

Kagome couldn't help but take a closer look at the stone, finding herself drawn in by Tsukiko's explanations like always when she went into teaching mode – but her attention was brutally drawn away by a loud clashing sound, and bone shards flying around...  
"What the hell do you think you're doing, attacking without a warning, bastard?" loudly complained InuYasha, quickly explaining what had happened – the two brother were once more fighting, and not only verbally this time  
"You should always be aware of your surroundings hanyou. Most youkai won't make enough noise for you to hear their sneak attack like this Sesshoumaru was kind enough to do."  
Kagome's eyes widened, and she turned toward her friend as the two brothers continued fighting "He's... teaching him?"

An amused smile was her answer "I told you, didn't I?" she watched her father thoughtfully "His training method hasn't changed a lot to be honest. I think he enjoy beating people halfway to death without having a hair out of place..."  
The young miko gave up being surprised – really, that explained so much about Tsukiko's own training methods...

With that, she turned her attention back to the enchanted stone, and her friend went back to explain about the differences between wards and enchantments, and the different way they could be enacted – those two types of magic were used by holy servant just as well as by youkai or wizards, and each used a different way of making them.  
"As a miko, you would probably use sutra placed around the place or object to ward, and enchanting for you mainly would involve a lot of chanting and power. Wizard use runes of different origins for wards, and wands and a lot of fine-pointed wand waving for enchantments..."  
"But this is a youkai ward, isn't it?"  
"Indeed." nodded Tsukiko, distractedly weaving her fingers through Padfoot's fur "Youkai wards are a bit like wizard ones in that they use a written form. They are less versatile, but a lot more powerful most of the time. Here you should recognize the writing easily..."

Surprised at the affirmation, she took a closer look at the carving that she had thought quite abstract until now, but it took quite some time before she realized she had indeed already seen this.  
"These are pictograms!"  
"Chinese pictogram to be precise. The first form of written language from which kanji evolved." an encouraging smile "Can you guess what it is about?"  
Kagome paused for a bit – while she had seen some of these pictures in some classical language course at school, it hadn't been in-depth, and so she was mostly left to guessing, on top of that the drawing were intricate, making it even harder to guess at each sign sense...  
Still, after some time spent thinking about it, and a few helping comments from Tsukiko, she was quite sure she'd guessed it...

 **[Bonus complete!** Kagome deciphered the ward  
 **Bonus Reward:** (50+25)XP, +1 Hunting Trophy, _Enhancing System_ unlocked]

 **[Level up!** You are now level 134!  
 _+1SP]  
_ **[Level up!** Kagome is now level 46!  
 _+2SP, +2CP]_

 **[New system log entrance:** Enhancing System

Known wards and enchantments can be crafted easier thanks to this system.  
Enchantments can be added to equipment according to their level and rarity.  
New wards and enchantments can be learned through normal way, or by unlocking them with Hunting Trophy in the _Hunting System_.]

¤.¤.¤

The echo of Tessaiga slipping out of it's resting place was met with eerie silence as both Sesshoumaru and InuYasha stopped their fight to stare disbelievingly at the young miko.  
"How the hell did you do that?"  
"Tsuki-chan made me decipher the ward!" Kagome explained with a happy smile, still not quite believing she'd managed it  
"Keh. So what?"  
"Don't be so thankless, if I hadn't been there you would still be trying to get that sword! It could only be taken out by a human!" she explained, a bit put out by the lack of praise from their hanyou companion  
"Of course," Sesshoumaru nodded, not looking surprised " how like father to do something like this." his bloodthirsty smile turned toward the girl still holding the rusty looking Tessaiga

Suddenly Kagome wasn't so happy to have all attention turned toward her – and the next moment, Sesshoumaru had disappeared from her eyesight – only to reappear near her, dripping claws stopped by an elegant, dusky blade that didn't reflect the light.  
Her eyes widened at how close she'd been from death, while the youkai hime that had just placed herself between death and her lightly commented "Please don't test my friend like that, chichi-ue. Humans aren't quite as resilient as youkai."

"She isn't a weak ningen if she could read through otou-sama's ward so easily." Sesshoumaru contradicted, not even phased at having been stopped in his attack  
"I've just started training her, and most of her reiki is still sealed." Tsukiko explained calmly "It's like trying to train a pup before he's finished his first growing spur!"  
"What do you think you're doing running away from our fight, bastard?" InuYasha was protesting father away  
"Running away? This Sesshoumaru seems to recall you were the one loosing, brother." the inu youkai taunted back

Hearing the hanyou made Kagome remember about the blade she was now holding, and the one it was supposed to belong to. With a shout of "InuYasha, catch!" she was throwing the weapon toward him  
InuYasha stumbled a bit at the rash and unexpected action but caught the blade easily.

Sesshoumaru seemed to smile as his brother took the weapon in hand, and Kagome felt her knee give way under her as the inu jumped back toward his brother, attacking him once more as if he hadn't made a detour to try and kill her – or test her, since apparently it was the same thing for him.  
"You caught chichi-ue's attention."  
"I'd rather not have, I like being alive." she answered feebly

"It's quite the honor, you know," Tsukiko laughed "we're in an era when my father hadn't yet realized that humans had potential too. You might be the first human he doesn't regard as an insect barely worth his attention."  
"I'm not sure I like the achievement." Kagome mumbled, still trembling a bit  
"Keh! I won't let that bastard do anything to you!" commented InuYasha loudly from his spot clashing against his elder brother

Youki pulsed a first time, felt only by Padfoot and Tsukiko, who shared a glance.

"Are you saying you'd be a better protector for Kagome-chan than me, oji-san?" the hime asked sweetly, struck by inspiration  
"It's not like I can let you protect her, can I?" snorted InuYasha "You're just a pup, and a lazy on at that!"  
"What are you saying?" wondered Kagome, not quite understanding what InuYasha meant by calling her friend a lazy child – but of course, the hanyou completely misunderstood

"I'm saying I'll protect you!" he snapped toward her in a put out voice  
Kagome felt strangely touched by the loud proclamation – coming from InuYasha, who tended to hide what he was truly thinking and feeling behind loud boast, it was as good as a proclamation of friendship.

The second pulse of youki was felt by all – and the next second, Tessaiga changed from a rusty old katana to a large, fang like blade that violently pushed back Sesshoumaru, the older youkai using all his speed to avoid the large wave of power that followed the blade's shape-shifting.

Taking a look at the damages wreaked around by the weapon, the inu briefly thought that if his younger brother had gone after him with a bit more of killing intent he probably wouldn't have come out of this attack unscathed – the pup was learning, finally...

[ **Goal complete:** +50XP  
 **Goal update:** learn how to unleash the Tessaiga's trade-mark attack  
 **Bonus goal complete: The Lord of the West approval**  
 _by demonstrating a good fighting prowess and better understanding of inu youkai culture and traditions, you have gained a bit of Sesshoumaru's approval_  
 **Reward:** (50+25)XP, +1 soul bound token, InuYasha receive **Pack Marking** , Kagome gains +10 **Wards** skill, _Map System_ unlocked]

[Level up! Kagome is now level 48!  
 _+3SP]_  
[Level up! InuYasha is now level 101!  
 _+2SP, +2CP, +1PP]_  
[InuYasha is now Three-Tailed!

 **Three-Tail Perks**

 **\- Poison Fang:** all your attack can be enhanced by your own poison, unlocks **Poison Resistance** as a fast learning Fighting Skill (inherited from father)  
 **\- Youkai Blood:** your senses are as sharp as those of your youkai ancestors (inherited from father)  
 **\- Touched by Death:** the more HP you loose, the more damage your inflict on your enemies (unlocked by having been resurrected by Tenseiga)

 _available: 1_ ]

 **[System Log:** Map System

The _Map System_ offers several option : a _Map_ were different data can be displayed, a _Recall_ _Point_ for each _Hunting_ Party and a quick access to Hunting Spots.  
The Recall Rate is of once every week by default, but can be reduced by unlocking the option with Hunting Trophies. Do note that a Recall Point cannot be set in a different era than the one you are currently in.]

¤.¤.¤

Nobody had a chance to take a close look at the multiple notifications that had just arrived as Sesshoumaru was swiftly approaching InuYasha "You've finally grown up a bit, brother." he stated, ignoring the protesting noise the hanyou was starting to emit at the affirmation that clearly implied he hadn't been mature before  
The next second, Sesshoumaru's claws were dragging into the tender flesh of InuYasha's face, leaving matching scars embedded with youki on each side.

Not the alpha mark, but the Pack Mark, Tsukiko realized – a mark that would tell youkai all around that InuYasha had been accepted as an adult among them, and a viable member for any pack wanting more members.  
It took a few seconds for the importance of the fact to hit her clearly – this was the Sengoku jidai, an era when hanyou weren't accepted by anyone and her father, well-know for his cold persona and upmost indifference toward humans had just accepted his hanyou brother...

"Congratulation, oji-san."  
At that, InuYasha finally snapped out of his stupor, and his eyes strayed toward his brother – except of course, Sesshoumaru had no intention of explaining himself and was already far away, having discreetly gone with a simple "We'll see each other again, musume." while his brother was still stunned

"What just happened?" Kagome asked – while it was clear something important had happened, she didn't know precisely what  
"These," Tsukiko explained, finger ghosting along the new scars "are the proof that InuYasha has been through the rite of passage for adulthood of canine youkai."  
"Oh." her eyes widened – it was important then – she beamed at the hanyou "Congratulation InuYasha!"  
An amused smile, and Tsukiko added "And InuYasha is quite probably the first hanyou ever to bear them."

"Eh?"  
"Nobody likes hanyou." InuYasha stated bitterly "Too scary for humans, too weak for youkai..."  
"This won't always be true, oji-san." Tsukiko corrected softly "And chichi-ue may just have made the first step toward youkai's acceptance of hanyou by marking you." she became more serious "These marks are a great honor, and proof of acceptance from him... But a lot of youkai won't like the fact that you've got them."  
"Let them come then! I'll be waiting for them!"

"That's the spirit!" nodded Kagome enthusiastically, not liking the fact that the brash hanyou would be discriminated against just because of his origins  
"We'll be ready." nodded Tsukiko with a smile "Just as chichi-ue will be."  
"What do you mean?" the miko wondered  
"The bastard... my brother... he is some kind of important lord," InuYasha explained "His actions will be remarked upon by the other lords."

Seeing worry creeping into her friend's eyes, Tsukiko waved her concern away "Chichi-ue is used to adversity. He did become Lord of the West at only two hundred years after all."she added with no small amount of pride "The other lords spent the better of the first century trying to usurp our land..." a cold smile "And he spent the better of the second one annihilating their attempts against us. By his third century as Lord of the West, there were few youkai stupid enough to go against the West."

Kagome and InuYasha shared an amused glance – never before had it been so clear that the young ookami was very proud of her cold looking father.  
"Tch. I hadn't pegged you for a daddy's girl." the hanyou snorted, not quite believing it when she younger youkai's cheek reddened in answer – for barely a few seconds, before she was back in control, but still enough for even a human to catch it

Not able to help it anymore, he laughed, more freely than he had in a long time.  
When he finally managed to calm down, he took a long look around them, at his father's resting place, then stated "Well, we'd better get back to the village, I don't think we'll manage to leave today."

* * *

¤.¤.¤

* * *

Just as InuYasha had said, the day had been mostly gone while they were at the border between Life and Death, and so they'd taken advantage of the end of the day to take a look at Chaos' Game latest Systems unlocked.

The _Map System_ usefulness was evident, even for someone not used to game like InuYasha, and Kaede's hut was swiftly set up as the Shikon Shard Hunting Party home base. Being able to recall themselves directly there would cut by half quite a lot of their traveling, and could help in case of emergency.

The Enhancement System was only useful to Tsukiko right now, but she had assured Kagome that she soon would be able to use it efficiently too with her miko lessons – Kaede was quite awed at the changes there had been in the lessons for holy servant over five hundred years, and Tsukiko had soon promised to give her a bit more information whenever they were in Edo. As for InuYasha, using this system would meant learning more about his youkai heritage, and spending a good number of hours studying, something he wasn't quite ready for just yet.

And finally, another important change had been InuYasha's third tail "Keh. I don't even have tail..." he'd mumbled at the Perk appellation, somehow sounding quite vexed about it  
"Well I don't have cute ears either, and you don't hear me complaining about it, don't you?" an amused Kagome retorted  
"You just did." Tsukiko pointed out easily, before continuing a bit more seriously "Chaos Game use the Tail as an unit of power more than anything else. Gaining your third tail so young, especially after spending fifty years in the limbs, is quite impressive." she noted  
"You've already got three-tails." the hanyou grumbled at the remark

"And I've had Chaos' Game help since birth, not to mention private tutors and a spartan father." she pointed out  
In the end, InuYasha had opted for the **Youkai Blood** Tail Perk. Sesshoumaru sneaking on him during their fight had proved once more to the hanyou that his senses, while clearly superior to a human, weren't up to par with a daiyoukai. Kagome had been a bit disappointed that he hadn't taken the Poison Fang Tail Perk, but understood the fact that he didn't want to take a power that was so similar to Sesshoumaru's main attack just yet – if he was going to prove to his brother and the rest of the youkai that he hadn't been wrong when marking him, it would be on his own power, not a borrowed one, even if it came from their father.

Of course, the hanyou hadn't said as much in words, but both girl were quickly becoming adept at translating his various grumbling in complete sentences...

"Speaking of tail..." Kagome had realized, thinking back to their encounter with Sesshoumaru "Your father didn't look to have several tails, yet he didn't look weak at all..."  
"Most of the time, Kitsune are the only canine youkai who display their tails. Both Ookami and Inu tend to merge their tails."  
"Why?"  
"Well, mainly for the practicality," pointed Tsukiko "then because if you're good enough to restrain your youki, it means people won't be able to tell how powerful you are, which can be useful."  
"So why don't Kitsune hide their tails? Or you?"

"Vanity." InuYasha stated blandly  
"He's right. Kitsune are proud of their looks." confirmed Tsukiko with an amused smile "And me... Well I like the look, and I've got links with the Kitsune, so I might as well honor their traditions!" she explained  
Kagome had nearly face-planted at InuYasha's intervention, but now that she took a better look at her friend, and thought back to that Kyu-bon nigh long ago, it made sense. She spent several hours a week caring for her hair after all, so shy wouldn't a youkai have the same kind of thinking with his tails?

¤.¤.¤

The next morning, they were on the road, Kagome riding Padfoot, while Tsukiko and InuYasha both easily rushed along the big Grimm, the ookami still a bit put out at the fact her familiar hadn't even told her he could change size in the Mortal Realms even since he'd hit his adult form at level 100.  
A few days out of Edo, while the two girl were taking advantage of a river to bathe, a small monkey stole Kagome's clothes, provoking the girl's ire and making her companions laugh quite a bit before rushing after the beast.

Soon enough, they had found it, and the clothes back – apparently it was the pet of a young, traveling noble who was looking for food. While the young man, who'd presented himself as Nobunaga – but had quickly informed Kagome he wasn't _the_ Oda Nobunaga, but rather came from Takeda rather Owari – was quieting his stomach by going through Tsukiko's stash of sandwiches hidden away in her Inventory, he explained what he was doing out there.

"My lord's daughter was married away to the lord of this part a few months ago. But recently, strange rumors about maiden disappearances in the country have reach our ears, so I can to see for myself if Tsuyu-hime was safe with her husband."  
"This guy has a crush the size of the Eiffel tower for this hime..." Kagome was soon whispering to Tsukiko, as the young man was leaving – and promptly falling into a pit "And he doesn't look very reliable..."  
"It's the only lead we've got for anything strange right now," shrugged the youkai hime "we might as well go and see what it's about."

 **[Secondary Quest! Rescue the princess...**  
 **Goal:** Enter the shiro  
 **Reward:** +25XP per goal, +1 Beginner Skill Tome, +1 Hunting Trophy]

Decision made, they were soon shadowing the young noble near the lord's shiro.

"The place is reeking with malevolent youkai." mumbled the hanyou, nose wrinkled – his niece and even Padfoot sharing his wince at the nasty feeling "There's got to be a shikon shard behind this."  
"There's so much youki I can't feel anything..." admitted Kagome "But it probably means you're right." she added with a decided nod "Let's go!"

With that, they were getting ready to jump the wall – when Nobunaga firmly planted himself on Padfoot's back "I'm coming." he said "I've got business in this fortress."  
Within moments, they were inside the outer walls – and quickly realizing that something was wrong.

 **[Goal complete!** +25XP  
 **Goal update:** find Tsuyu-hime]

"No guards?"  
"There's something in the air..." Tsukiko studied the feeling a bit more, letting a small fraction of her power swirl gently around her "A sleeping spell has been weaved on the castle, and it's youkai made." she quickly determined

At that proclamation, Nobunaga was soon rushing forward, loudly calling "Tsuyu-hime! It's me, Nobunaga! I've come to rescue you! Where are you?"  
"Should we really let him shout like this?" wondered Kagome as her two hunting partners seemed quite at ease with the man's rash actions  
"Everybody's asleep apart from the culprit, I'd say." shrugged Tsukiko  
"So he'll eventually catch the youkai's attention!" added InuYasha with a satisfied while

"You're using him as a bait..." realized Kagome, a bit impressed at the fact that once more uncle and niece seemed to understand each other completely when about to enter a battle  
Then again, while the ookami had expressed several time her dissatisfaction with InuYasha's lack of knowledge about his father's heritage, something she seemed quite happy to put on Myouga and her father's heads, she had never criticized his battle prowess, simply stating he wasn't an analytical fighter but a rather efficient instinctual one, even if he still had a large margin of progress.

Following the haphazardly running Nobunaga, they found the princess' room within a few minutes, and Myouga was quite efficient in awakening by sucking out the corrupted youki...  
Even if the fact he had to suck her blood to do so was a bit repulsive to Kagome – she really didn't like mosquitoes, and the flea was acting far too much like one the annoying blood-sucker for her to be completely at ease with him around...

 **[Goal Complete!** +25XP  
 **Goal update:** find the shiro's lord]

 **[Level up!** Kagome is now level 49!  
 _+1SP]_

"It began soon after I arrived here to be married," the princess went on explaining at Nobunaga's request – apparently, the young noble was the son of one of her father's retainer, and a childhood friend "My lord collapsed near the garden's pond, and had a high fever. After that, both his personality and his appearance changed..." she started to cry "What should I do Nobunaga?"  
"I'll take you back to your father's shiro." the young man promised

"Go," nodded InuYasha with a satisfied smile "you'll only be in the way from now on!"  
"What do you mean?" wondered Nobunaga – his answer soon heard in the form of strange squishy sounds, and an unnatural voice  
"Trespassers... You won't escape!"  
"This is... my lord!" realized the human princess

 **[Goal complete!** +25XP  
 **Goal update:** defeat the youkai]

"Show yourself, bastard!" InuYasha demanded, sword in hand deftly cutting through the bandages hiding away the lord's face to reveal a frog like face  
With a sigh, Tsuyu fainted in her childhood friend's arms.

As for Kagome, now that the enemy was so close, even the ambient youki couldn't hide the Shikon shard present anymore "I see the shard!" she quickly announced to the hanyou "It's between his left shoulder and his heart!"  
"I'll tear it apart!" proclaimed InuYasha "With how weak he looks one strike will be enough."

"I wouldn't do that..." warned Tsukiko  
At the same time, Myouga was warning "This is the tsukumo no gama, a three-hundred year old youkai! Killing him won't be that easy!"  
Sure enough, InuYasha's mad dash was stopped brutally when the frog youkai exhaled the air stocked in his cheek, releasing a large cloud of toxic youki...  
"Don't breathe this." warned Tsukiko, making Kagome cover her mouth "It's miasma."

Taking advantage at InuYasha bout of weakness from the fumes, the enemy youkai was already rushing toward the princess, his tongue slashing across Nobunaga and hurting him badly despite his valiant attempt to protect the woman he loved – brave he may be, he still was a normal human after all, with no particular knowledge or training to fight against even the weakest youkai...  
As soon as InuYasha was feeling better, and Kagome had healed a bit the young noble, they were pursuing frog and princess across the shiro.

"How come the miasma didn't have any effect on you?" Kagome wondered as they were approaching a heavily barred door  
"I've inherited the poisoned fangs of my father," Tsukiko explained as she and InuYasha quick work of the door "A natural resistance to poisons comes with it, otherwise it would be mostly useless..."  
Kagome nodded at the explanation that did make sense, then froze as she took a look at the room they had just stepped through...

Dozens of bubbles looking like frogs eggs were heaped up in the youkai's lair; except, in each of the membrane, one of the lost maiden was held – and the princess was already among them...  
"The tsukumo no gama keep the girls souls until they are ripe and ready to be eaten..." explained Myouga weakly, looking around just as uneasily as the rest of them  
"Are you saying he's going to eat Tsuyu-hime?" a panicked Nobunaga realized  
"He won't." contradicted Tsukiko

Kagome shivered at how cold her childhood friend's voice was – and even Padfoot, by her side, seemed far more scary than he ever had, shadows swirling around him and hackles raised.  
"Tsukiko?" Kagome called warily, not understanding the youkai princess sudden change in comportment – she had been quite content to stay back and let them work up until then after all  
"I'm sorry," the young goddess said, not sounding sorry at all "I'm not supposed to fight in your place..." her cold eyes hadn't left once the frog youkai front of them – and Kagome realized that once more, they were gleaming an ethereal green "But I really despise people who mess with my brother's purview."

That, the miko realized, didn't explain anything at all, and she didn't even know her friend had a brother – but she did not have anytime to said anything about it as the ookami had already drawn her sword and slashed neatly through the youkai, power humming across the dark blade that had saved Kagome's life just the day earlier.  
Then, the frog laughed hysterically, apparently unharmed "A blade that doesn't cut! What a waste! And here..." then, he stopped talking abruptly, losing all color and collapsing "You! What have you done!"

"I just took back what you stole." Tsukiko stated calmly – and Kagome shuddered as she realized what the girl meant  
Souls were hoovering around the weak looking youkai, souls that had probably been eaten by him earlier. That had been Tsukiko's aim from the start, and explained while she wasn't surprised at the lack of blood...  
"I'll just eat more to regain my power!" the frog screamed while trying to rush toward the eggs around him – only to be stopped by a wall of fire appearing around him, forbidding him from getting to his sustenance

"Now," Tsukiko stated, tone still cold as ice "get out of this body before I boil you alive, frog."  
The youkai needn't be told twice, and the lord's body collapsed to the ground, free of the youkai that had been possessing it, while the frog tried to escape – only to be stopped once more by Tsukiko's blade, that this time seemed quite capable of cutting through it.  
Power swirled around Tsukiko one last time, and all the eggs around them were bursting, freeing the girl imprisoned within them in one swift move, while Tsukiko casually stepped toward the Shikon Shard that was left on the ground among the ashes of the defeated youkai.

"Here Kagome-chan," she said, already far calmer "a pretty glass shard for your collection!"  
The miko laughed at the proclamation, and took said shard, quickly putting it with the one she had collected in the remains of the shibu-garasu.

 **[Quest Complete!** +25XP  
 **Reward:** +1 Beginner Skill Tome, +1 Hunting Trophy  
 **Bonus goal complete!  
** _You slayed the beast without killing the lord_  
 **Bonus goal reward:** (50+25)XP, +1 Hunting Trophy  
 **Bonus goal complete!**  
 _You freed the the lost souls_  
 **Bonus goal reward:** (50+25)XP, +1 Perk Point]

 **[Level up!** You are now level 135!  
 _+1SP, +2CP]_  
 **[level up!** Kagome is now level 52!  
 _+3SP, +2CP, +1PP]_  
 **[Level up!** InuYasha is now level 103!  
 _+2SP]_

 _ **[Perks**_ _  
-_ _ **Tango under the Stars(2/3):**_ _+10 Air, unlocks_ _ **Tango under the Stars(3/3)  
**_ _-_ _ **Faster than the Wind:**_ _unlocks_ _ **Shadow-Step**_ _Ability (progress scaled on_ _ **Parkour**_ _skill)  
\- __**I am the Night:**_ _unlocks_ _ **Shadow-Blending**_ _Ability (progress scaled on_ _ **Discretion**_ _skill)_ _ **  
\- Way of the Shinobi(1/2):**_ _+10 to_ _ **Discretion**_ _,_ _ **Parkour**_ _and_ _ **Battle**_ _ **Sense**_ _skills (locks_ _ **Path of the Samourai**_ _)  
_ _ **\- Path of the Samourai(1/2):**_ _+10 to_ _ **Strategy**_ _,_ _ **Meditation**_ _and_ _ **Killing Intent**_ _skills (locks_ _ **Way of the Shinobi**_ _)_

 _available: 1]_

[Kagome is now Two-Tailed!  
 **Two-Tail Perks**  
 **\- Warrior Priestess:** your attack are all imbued with holy powers, dealing even more damage than a normal priestess to corrupted beings, unlocks **Battle Sense** as a normal learning Fighting Skill  
 **\- Shrine Maiden:** knowledge of the temple come naturally to you, making **Wards** and **Rituals** fast learning skills  
 **\- Wandering Miko:** no temple can hold you down, as your call is to heal all and everyone, making **Healing Touch** and **Spiritual** **Resistance** fast learning skills

 _available: 1]_

¤.¤.¤

While Tsuyu-hime was happily reunited with her husband, the hunting party was soon taking their leave, a heart-broken Nobunaga by their side – but the young man was kind, and while he still loved the princess, he had clearly seen how taken she was with her husband, and the man himself didn't seem like a bad guy now that he was free from the youkai's influence...  
As for InuYasha, he was strangely silent – and it was only once Nobunaga was gone, and they had made their camp for the night that he decided himself to ask "You are no ordinary youkai, aren't you, Tsukiko?"

The girl noted the use of her name – this was probably the first time InuYasha did use it rather than girl, pup or any other insulting variant. As for the question, it wasn't too surprising – she hadn't bothered hiding her powers when dealing with the soul-eating weakling.  
"I'm not." she confirmed

"Your weapon. It as good as performed an exorcism." he analyzed "A very powerful one, something even Kikyou wouldn't have been able to do."  
Kagome eye's widened at the admission – even if the hanyou acted as if he hated the priestess, it wasn't hard to realized he had a lot of respect for her abilities, so for him say something like that... she eyed her friend contemplatively. While she knew Tsukiko could use holy powers, reiki, she hadn't realized the ookami was that powerful, not having any other modern miko around to compare her to – well, there was Saiyuri at home, sure, but she hadn't seen the priestess since she had fallen through time...

"KageShin is my coming of age blade." Tsukiko said, taking the beautiful katana out of its sheath, displaying the dark gray, mat blade "It's made from one of my fangs, just like Kagome-chan's weapon."  
The affirmation surprised both Kagome and InuYasha, and both eyes drifted toward the tanto fastened by the miko's side.  
"It's the only blade in existence that can channel both youki and reiki..."  
"Because you can channel both." InuYasha deduced calmly

A nod.

Finally, InuYasha's calm was broken "How the fuck is it possible? A yokai isn't supposed to have reiki! Even less a pure-blood princess like you!"  
"I'm the only youkai in existence to have both youki and reiki." confirmed Tsukiko "As for how it's possible..." a mischievous smile grew on her face "How about we make a bet about who guess first between Kagome-chan and you?"  
"Eh?" said girl protested, surprised at being suddenly dragged in the discussion  
"Daisuke-kun was the first among the Holy Servant Course students to guess," Tsukiko informed her with an amused smile "Sa-chan was quite put out with him for that for a long time." a fond smile "Your jii-chan is the living proof that everything isn't about power."

"What do you mean?" Kagome wondered, growing curious as she realized that of course, her friend must have know Saiyuri for longer than she'd realized too  
Tsukiko went on to explain about her first year at Mahoutokoro, and how the fact she possessed reiki had been a well known, and quite puzzling fact for all – and how it lead to her becoming friend with Daisuke, then Saiyuri.  
While Kagome was fascinated by this peak at her friends and family's past, InuYasha, though her tried to hid it, was more interested by Mahoutokoro – in the Sengoku jidai, the description of the multi-racial, multi-cultural school where youkai, hanyou, wizards and holy servants cohabited seemed like a distant utopia...

"That reminds me!" Kagome realized as Tsukiko finished her story "I've got a Tail Perk to chose!"  
"Bah, you're even less like to gain a tail than me!" InuYasha laugh – and a startled Kagome realized that he was teasing her  
"Well, I may not have the tail, I still got the Perk!" she laughed, before describing the perks available  
All three perks Chaos Game was offering had their own appeal – Kagome didn't want to be left behind as InuYasha did all the fighting, which was a point for the **Warrior Priestess** Perk, but she had seen how powerful wards could be in Inu no Taishou's grave, which worked in the **Shrine Maiden** Perk favor. And finally, her own personality made it evident that if she could heal anyone, she'd do it and that meant choosing the **Wandering Miko** Perk.

In the end, Tsukiko encouraged her to follow her true calling, and she settled on the **Wandering Miko** Perk, resolving herself to work hard in order not to become a liability during fights anyway.

* * *

¤.¤.¤

* * *

By the time the small hunting party was back to Edo, a few days latter, the situation was back to the usual – even if the hanyou did have a contemplative gleam in his eyes from time to time has his eyes lingered on his niece.

"What do you mean you're going back?"  
"Kagome-chan has to take the placement test for Mahoutokoro's staff to give her the correct packets to study," Tsukiko explained patiently to InuYasha "so we're going back for a few days for her to take the test."  
"So she has to go. And you, why are you going?"  
"You do realize I've got family on the other side too, oji-san?"  
"Your father's on this side too!"

"Well yes, but he's clearly not the same." a shrug "And I've got a cute adopted little sister to annoy and a fiance I haven't seen in weeks on the other side too."  
"Eh? A fiance?" he sniffed around "So that's what that kitsune scent hanging around was!"  
Tsukiko had to restrain a sigh as once more she realized how much her uncle didn't know about canine youkai, and after a glare at Myouga, asked "Well, why don't you come with us if you've got nothing better to do? I was going to Mahoutokoro with Kagome-chan, you could come too..."

"But won't people look at him?" the young shrine maiden pointed out "He's not exactly inconspicuous with these ears!"  
Tsukiko couldn't help but laugh at the remark "You do realize I hide my appearance all the time, don't you, Kagome-chan?"  
The girl reddened – just a few days in the Sengoku jidai and she had somehow grown so used to the ookami true appearance that she had indeed forgotten her usual glamour...

"I'll just add a glamour on oji-san' subduing necklace." the girl explained "It's a charm simple enough, that the kitsune taught to all youkai when we started to go into hiding. It's not as good as a real kitsune transformation, but it's good enough to fool most humans, since they don't really look for the preternatural..." and something she didn't use herself, she didn't say, since she had her own **Metamorph** gift instead, which worked much better

A few moments later, four silhouette were jumping in an old well – and getting out of it five hundred years in the future...  
Tsukiko and Padfoot were the first out of the old well house, the youkai hime running enthusiastically toward a tall, dark red-haired man with intense green eyes.  
" _Bambina_."  
"I missed you." Tsukiko admitted to her intended with a smile

She had been quite frustrated, when the call for a large hunt had been made at the other side of the country while she knew Kagome would soon begin her journey – but the job had to be done, and so they had encouraged her to stay back first in case the young miko fell down the well while they weren't there.  
It had been the good choice to make, clearly, since she'd gone to the past before the rest of her hunting group came back to Tokyo, but it didn't mean she'd liked spending so much time away from them.

"Welcome back, Ryo-kun." greeted Kagome with a smile as the couple finally broke their embrace  
"To you too." retorted the hunter with an amused smile "I've heard you started your fated journey."  
"Did everyone but me knew about it?" the miko couldn't help but wonder  
"I've got no secret for Ryo." explained Tsukiko easily

"And it was hard not to guess your importance with how fascinated she became with you when you were born." added Saiyuri with a laugh, the older miko approaching hand in hand with Akane  
"I didn't know until last week!" proclaimed loudly the kitsune with a smile  
"That's no bragging matter..." Saiyuri sighed at their hunting partner "So, I see you've got a guest?"  
"This is InuYasha!" Tsukiko announced with an amused smile  
The miko and the vixen's reaction were just as entertaining as she had predicted, as the two girl did a once over of the hanyou, not quite believing this was the Lord of the West brother's.  
Ryoichi, of course, wasn't surprised, as she had sent him a message before jumping down the well.

¤.¤.¤

They spent the next few hours catching up, then got ready to head to Mahoutokoro when Saiyuri and Tsukiko's attention suddenly snapped toward the long stairs leading to the shrine.  
"Something just tried to breach the wards." the human miko announced with a frown  
"They still aren't strong enough to hide the shards then." sighed Tsukiko  
"I'll strengthen them." her friend reassured her "You go to Mahoutokoro."  
"Thank you, Sa-chan. We'll see you later then."  
"Well, I'll head toward the Hunter headquarters to drop our hunt report then." quipped Akane "I'm sure Tsuki-hime and Ryo-dono will be sickening with their sweetness."  
"Sweetness? Ryo-dono and Tsuki-hime? Are you sure we're talking about the same two relentless hunters?" Saiyuri asked with a laugh as the group broke in different directions

As the small group arrived on Mahoutokoro's campus, Kagome was herded toward a class-room where she would spent the afternoon taking test to help the teachers decide on her following school-work, while Tsukiko and Ryoichi where showing the school to InuYasha.  
While the hanyou was trying to hide his awe behind his usual brash attitude, it didn't fool either of the youkai, particularly not when they saw him realize that just like his niece had said, there were several hanyou around, none of them looking out of place among all the magical beings.

They hadn't lingered too long in the library, and went over the diverse school programs, to end up in the dojos, much to the hanyou interest.  
"All the training rooms are reinforced," Tsukiko explained lightly "with all the magical beings around, they have to or they'd be stuck repairing the whole thing after each class."  
"I do recall most of the wards having to be strengthened once you started to train regularly with Sa-chan." Ryoichi teased the younger youkai

The following three days, Tsukiko spent mainly with her father and fiance, while Kagome went through the battery of tests for Mahoutokoro, met the teachers, and received her first batch of studying sheet to take back to the past.  
InuYasha had spent the two first days at the Higurashi shrine, where Souta soon seemed to admire him with childish devotion, then on the third day, Tsukiko, Ryoichi, Akane and Saiyuri took Kagome and the hanyou to the magical district.

Just like in the school, all magical beings were mingling about, and their group didn't go unnoticed – after hearing some whispers a few times, Kagome eventually asked "What are hunters?"  
"Protectors of the magical beings." explained Saiyuri simply "Because some beings, be they youkai or humans, let themselves be consumed by the darkness in their heart and became mindless monsters attacking anyone with spiritual powers, we hunter are the one dedicated to hunt them..."

"People all seemed to recognized you." InuYasha noted  
"The four of us have been hunting together for more than thirty years now." Akane explained with a smile, the vixen as lively as ever "We've gained a bit of reputation for it..."  
"Why? Are you that good?"

"Not only that," corrected Akane "Saiyuri is one of the strongest miko of her generation, and its pretty rare for miko to go into hunting. Tsuki-hime and Ryo-dono both have famous and powerful parents, and are very young to be already so accomplished... In the end I'm the normal one of the party!"  
"You're not normal by any mean," Ryoichi contradicted with amusement in his tone "While my cousin's parent aren't quite as well-known as Sesshoumaru-sama or my father, she is very powerful for her age too." he informed Kagome

They were getting back from the magical district when Kagome senses went haywire.  
"I'd swear I've felt a Shikon shard!" she muttered distractedly as they neared the long stairs to the shrine  
The hunters shared concerned glances. A Shikon shard in the present would bring chaos with it...

"Any rumors about strange things happening in the neighborhood?" Saiyuri asked Akane, who was the one following these of rumors in their hunting party  
"A few disappearances." nodded Akane "A hunter was sent to investigate, but he concluded to a non-preternatural happening, since the missing people didn't have any spiritual affinity."  
"Well seems like he may have been wrong."  
The kitsune nodded at her cousin's comment, and Tsukiko asked Kagome "Can you tell us from where the feeling is coming from?"

¤.¤.¤

Kagome nodded resolutely, and focused on the feeling, pointing in the direction of a nearby construction site.  
"Eh! Nee-chan, where are you going?" a young voice interrupted them - the youngest Higurashi sibling was just coming home too, apparently  
"Go home Souta, we'll come soon!"  
The little boy looked at his sister with a frown "No way! I'm coming with you!"  
"This really isn't something a kid should see!" Akane protested "The crime scene from the hunter's investigation were very bloody!"  
A pulse of youki was felt around.

"Well, I guess we can't really send him home alone with this thing around, can we?" Akane realized at the malignant feeling  
"Arashi will protect him." Saiyuri decreted  
This, Kagome realized, was the name of the miko's cute little cat – a cat with a forked tail, which she had always assumed to be a malformation, but probably meant he was a youkai now that that she thought about it...  
As a second wave of youki washed upon them, making Souta shiver in disgust at the feeling, they started to rush toward the construction site.

"It's a good thing it's late enough for the workers to have left." Saiyuri pointed out  
"It is." nodded Tsukiko a round stone in hand – with a pulse of reiki, the stone started to float, and light flashed around them "The temporary wards are set."  
At the information, all the hunter switched gear, ready to fight with just a though.

Kagome snatched the tanto the ookami had gifted her from her Inventory, mentally kicking herself at not having thought to set more comfortable gear in the _Wardrobe System._ She felt her brother plastering himself against her side, the young boy suddenly realizing that things were a lot more serious than he'd realized.  
"Don't worry." she whispered to the kid "We'll protect you."  
And it was true she realized – even as weak as she felt when comparing herself to Tsukiko and the other, she knew that to protect her brother she would fight.

Finally, they found the youkai – no, not youkai, Kagome corrected herself. This was a monster; an unsightly conglomerate of decaying bodies held together with youki, and an unfeeling Noh Mask face.  
"An idea about what it is?" Tsukiko asked while jumping out of the way of a clumsy attack – clearly, the thing didn't have a good control of its body

Seeing the monster try to go in Kagome and Souta's direction, Arashi morphed into his bigger size, gesture at the two Higurashi to climb – Kagome helped her brother up, then had to dodge out of the way as the monster seemed to have sensed she was wearing two shards around her neck. With a pulse of reiki, the tanto in her hands shifted into a naginata, and a long, burning wound was left into the thing's body.

"Well there's this old legend about the adhering mask." suggested Saiyuri, taking the monster's attention with an elegant but dangerous twirling motion of her own weapon "It's an old Noh Mask that can't be destroyed, and whose owner all died mysterious death."  
"Why is something like that still out there?" muttered Ryoichi "Didn't hunters go after it already?"  
"Apparently its youki is completely dormant as long as it isn't awakened, so it may have slipped through the system..."  
"Hugh. Incompetents." Ryoichi's words were dripping with contempt

"So if it's the mask the monster, I'd guess the bodies are these missing teenagers from the skate park." noted Akane, Fox Fire floating and attacking around  
"I can see a shard in the mask." Kagome informed easily, trying not the sweat-drop at the casual way they were wilting down the monster while talking about it  
"They are so cool!" a starry-eyed Souta was whispering by her side  
"Well no point in wasting time then." InuYasha commented, Tessaiga rushing out of it's sheath and neatly cleaving through the Noh Mask and the ugly body under it

"Good job!" Akane praised enthusiastically "You'd make a good hunter, you know! You've got great fighting instincts!"  
Taken about by the honest and unexpected praise, the hanyou only muttered a half-hearted "Of course!"  
"Well, that's done."Tsukiko commented lightly, the wards crumbling down around them with a flash of light "Let's get back to the shrine."

 **[Hunting Complete! Noh Mask**  
 **Reward:** +25XP, +1 Hunting Trophy]

 **[Level up!** Souta is now level 35!  
 _+1SP]_

Kagome nodded, while pocketing the new shard in the small phial where the other two were kept and wondering why her brother's progress were shown by Chaos Game when he clearly didn't have access to it.  
On the way back, Souta was crowing loudly about how cool all of them were – even Kagome who somehow hadn't felt all that cool with professionals by her side – and about how he now wanted to be a hunter.

"Don't worry," Tsukiko smiled, putting her mind a ease "it'll be year before he goes to Mahoutokoro and chose a job for himself. A lot of young kids want cool looking jobs like hunting or curse-breaking, but the requirements are daunting enough that only those that are serious about it can go through them. If he really do become a hunter, it won't be without being correctly trained for it before."  
"You need a special license to be a hunter." added Saiyuri by her side, having her the ookami's explanation – she flashed a small card, around the size of a credit card, with her photo on it and several initials "All our credentials are easily accessible from this, and its impossible to fake."

They were drawing near to the shrine once more when three surprised girl voices resonated "Eh! Kagome-san! What are you doing here?"  
The young priestess snapped her head toward the sound, only to see three of her classmates – Yuka, Eri and Ayumi, three girls that were always together and had once been good friend. They had grown apart at the start of middle school, the three becoming more girly while Kagome's training with Tsukiko made her mature faster mentally...

"We've heard you transferred to another school? Why is that?"  
Kagome reddened under the attention, not having expected the sudden questioning – it's not like she could say she was studying part-time in a magic school and traveling thought time the rest of the time, right?

"Kagome-san has been offered a place at Mahoutokoro." Tsukiko said with the calm, polite smile that was her public persona toward outsiders – a persona Kagome had seen multiple times when her friend had dropped by her school to see her  
"Oh." Yuka's eyes went round "isn't that the very elitist school that only accepts students with recommendations?" her eyes slipped toward Tsukiko - even in the non-magical world, the Taishou were well-known after all  
"It is," the youkai hime confirmed "Her schoolwork was good enough that my invitation was taken into account by the council. Now if you will excuse us, I'm afraid we're expected."  
"Of course. See you around, Kagome-san!"

"So..." Kagome asked as they started to climb the stairs "Shouldn't the school name be changed when talking about it with people not in the known? I mean there's literally the word magic in it!"  
"One thing impressive is the ability non-magicals have to ignore things they cannot explain." Saiyuri shrugged "So Mahoutokoro have the reputation of a very good school for rich and talented students, and that's it, really..."  
Well, that wasn't wrong, Kagome realized – now that she thought about it she had heard the name Mahoutokoro before, and had simply found it weird, never wondering whether it might hide something more...

¤.¤.¤

That night, while Kagome was already asleep, Ryoichi and Tsukiko went to the old well "You were right," the hit-man whispered, feeling the power singing around it "I could go through it too."  
"What will you do?"  
He hesitated a second, eyes lingering on her – while he wanted nothing more than to stay by her side, it wasn't really the time, two powerful youkai like themselves would hinder the young miko's growth more than help it, he realized it well.

But there was other things that could be done on the other side of that well...

"I'll go through with our plan..." he finally decided  
"What are you plotting?" they turned toward the hanyou – both had heard him approach, but neither felt the need to hide from him  
"You've seen it in the magical district, haven't you?" Tsukiko stated rather than asked "That nearly all the youkai left are either daiyoukai or hanyou..."

InuYasha nodded, a shadow passing though his eyes – he had seen, but hadn't said anything, knowing Kagome wouldn't know since she'd just discovered the magical world, and Tsukiko would tell him only if she wanted.

"In about a hundred year from your time, at the other side of the world, wizards will come together to enact the International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy." Tsukiko explained, quickly going over how youkai had gone into hiding, then wizard – until the Great Disappearance occurred, and convinced the holy servants to join them too  
"That explains the fact that there's only daiyoukai around," InuYasha nodded "but what does it have to do with the well?"

"We're a dying race InuYasha." Ryoichi sighed "it's a slow going process, but a lot of us are out of options. Sesshoumaru-sama is the last white inu in existence, my father one of the three golden kitsune left."  
"Meanwhile, in the Sengoku, youkai are fighting left and right without any second though about it and orphans are left to fend for themselves and die..."  
"You are going to take orphans back to the future?" he guessed  
"Orphans, young youkai that would be able to adapt themselves, beast youkai that are gone or as good as good nowadays..." Tsukiko's eyes brightened "This is a chance to save not only the past by collecting the Shikon shards, but also the future by keeping our people from extinction!"

InuYasha nodded, then frowned "Still, we've established that the well doesn't work with everyone, so what make you so sure you can do this?"  
An amused smile from Ryoichi "For the exact same reason the _bambina_ can go through time, of course."  
The hanyou sighed, realizing he wouldn't get a better answer than that, and made to get back to the branch of the Goshinboku he was sleeping on before changing his mind "You're going to do this alone aren't you?" he asked the kitsune

A nod.

"Stay with us and meet Kaede-obaa-san. She'll help."  
Ryoichi inclined his head in thanks, and the hanyou was gone.

He wrapped his arms around Tsukiko, enjoy her presence for the night, and not thinking about the fact they'd part way once more in the morning. An assassin, and an egoist man he maybe, his gifts, as young as they were, as Life's brother, forbid him from doing anything less than try to save the youkai...  
"At least we'll be able to write to each other if we're on the same side of the well." Tsukiko whispered sleepily  
"That we will, _bambina_." he confirmed to the half-asleep girl


	6. Game On 30 V Shippou

Hi! thank you everyone for the overwhelming good review for this new story! It really motivates me for the story!

Regarding the previous chapters, I went back and corrected what I found here and there, but it's an on-going work.  
For now I'm taking advantage of a downtime between paper work and physical work for the house to publish this, but like I already said, no promise on the regularity of the updates.

\- Several people guessed about where I was going with the Great Disappearance (granted, it wasn't that hard) so congratulation! You've won an imaginary cookie!

\- I've had a remark concerning Blanche De Rive: yes I know Geralt is human, but let's be honest he's a modified human from an alternated dimension who's not even capable of having child, so clearly the fact that his daughter isn't a hanyou is like the least of the problem. It's just a cameo, guys!

\- the fact that the shards aren't in the Inventory: think of it like some quest items you can't stuff into your normal inventory, it happens in quite a few games - and frankly, half the adventures in InuYasha wouldn't happen if the shards were nicely hidden away

\- for the one who pointed out my mistake with Souta's name: yep I've been reading Sailor Moon again lately, so I mixed both little brothers... it's been corrected!

Enjoy the chapter!

* * *

 **Chapter 5. August 1996 Shippou**

By the next morning, the three shards hunting companions, Padfoot, and Ryoichi were back in the Sengoku jidai. Kagome had been surprised by the kitsune's presence at first, but with the explanations that were soon had in Kaede's hut, she found herself admiring the two youkai's resolve.  
For someone who'd known Tsukiko for ten year, and her fiance for nearly as long, there was no mistaking the love between the two, even if they tended to be a bit unconventional in demonstrating it – when she'd first seen them spar, at twelve year old, she'd been terrified that they really were trying to kill each other...  
Yet, instead of staying together, each was going through his own self-imposed mission in the past, all for the sake of helping others.

This was the kind of resolve she needed for her own quest, and she was once more thankful to have Tsukiko by her side.  
"Thanks for lending me your intended," she said to the kitsune, only half-joking, as they said their farewell  
"You don't need to thank me," the kitsune corrected, a smile on his lips but eyes serious "just do your best on your quest."  
He was right, she realized – Tsukiko was here to help her go through Fate's ordeal, what better way to thank her than to succeed at said task?  
"Well, let's go then!" she decided enthusiastically "These shards aren't going to drop into our hands!"

During the following days, Kagome stayed true to her new resolution, taking advantage of their long hike through the country to make Tsukiko help her with her studies, the ookami quizzing her on any topic that caught her fancy and explaining where she went wrong when she missed a question.  
While InuYasha had been grumpy about it at first, Kagome soon realized that he was at least listening when Tsukiko was talking about youkai culture - something she was sure the girl hadn't missed either, since she got the feeling some of those lessons were more for the hanyou's benefit than hers.

Following the grape vine, they headed toward a country where bloodshed had recently augmented, betting on it being linked, one way of the other, with the Shikon no Tama. The countryside, so beautiful and peaceful around Edo, soon transformed as they followed the rumor, and within days, in was evident that the region they were entering had suffered recent and numerous bloodshed – so much that they ended up stopping for their midday pause well into the afternoon and still in the middle of a battlefield.  
"I really don't understand how the two of you manage to eat in the middle of this." Kagome sighed

Uncle and niece raised their head from their lunch in an oddly similar and very canine motion  
"Uh?" managed InuYasha, more preoccupied by the large delicatessen sandwich he was gobbling down than their surrounding  
"Food is food." shrugged Tsukiko, not really caring about the skeletons around them "Better to eat while you can than faint in he middle of a fight because you didn't... Beside," she added, pointing at her lunch "I like chicken sandwiches."

Kagome would have answered – except the sky suddenly darkened, and eerie blue fire lit around them "You... Give me your Shikon shards!" a surprisingly young voice demanded, as a big round face appeared in front of them  
"Tch." InuYasha promptly kicked the figure in front of them, not even stopping to eat – and said form disappeared to be replaced by a small youkai kid

"You jerk!" the kid protested as InuYasha grabbed him by the tail  
"Tsk. Just a tanuki kid!" the hanyou stated while finishing his sandwich  
"I'm a kitsune!" the kid protested hotly  
"So cute!" Kagome commented, making both turn toward her with disbelief in their eyes "let me hug him!"

Taking advantage of InuYasha's laps in attention, the kit took some kind of sutra out of his pockets and slapped it on the hanyou's hands, making him stumble under the weight of a stone statue that had appeared out of nowhere – and the next moment he was rushing toward Kagome's pack, probably in search of the Shikon shards if what he'd said earlier was to be believed...  
Of course, that was without taking Tsukiko and Padfoot into account, as the young fox soon realized when the Grimm grabbed him by the scruff of the neck despite his protests, and dropped him at the feet of his mistress with an amused doggy smile.

Tsukiko took a good look at the kit, her nose recognizing easily the scent despite five-hundreds year, and she promptly burst out laughing.

The child in front of her quickly looked annoyed at her, and tried to escape back toward Kagome's messenger bag.  
Except none of his tricks worked on the ookami, who finally managed to say "My mate to be is a kitsune, kit, stop trying, you won't get me."  
The kit frowned at her, visibly still ready to try another trick, but stopped as he saw fire burning blood red between the girl's fingers "That's Kitsune Bi! How can you use it?"  
"Like I said, kit..."  
"Mate or not, fox fire isn't gifted that lightly!" the child protested

"I saved the Clan head of the Fang Clan once upon a time. Then his only child. After a few encounters and fights by my side he eventually declared me Friend of the Kitsune."  
The kit's eyes widened "Then... Then... I'm a kitsune too, so you have to help me, right?"  
InuYasha, who had still been looking annoyed at the kit's tricks, stopped glaring at the young youkai, hearing just as well as the two girls the despair in the childish voice.

"Sit down, kit," Tsukiko smiled kindly – the same smile, Kagome realized, as when she had been a crying child on the verge of not believing in her own powers anymore "and tell me who you are, and why you need the Shikon no Tama."  
"My name is Shippou." he mumbled "I'm not from any big clan or anything like that..." he added shyly, before his eyes grew darker "And I need the Shikon no Tama to avenge my father."

"So you wanted the shards to enhance your powers."  
"I'm already strong!" he denied, before hanging his head "But not strong enough to go against the Thunder Brothers..."  
"The Shikon shards grant power, but at a terrible price, Shippou-chan." Tsukiko said softly  
"They are easily corrupted." explained Kagome, remembering the explanations she had had on the topic "And makes humans and youkai give in to their baser instincts..."

"So that's why tou-san didn't use the one he had!" the kit realized, eyes widening, before looking at them warily "But then why do you have some?"  
"I was the one who broke the Shikon no Tama by mistake." Kagome admitted "I've got to fix my mistake by gathering it back..."  
"You can't fix a mistake like that." the kit corrected "Even if you gather the jewel, my father will still be dead..."

"I know." nodded Kagome "But if I gather it quickly enough, maybe other fathers around won't be."  
The kit's eyes widened at the affirmation, probably having expecting some kind of protest – then he nodded his agreement. Nobody should have to go through what he had, even as young as he was, he was quite sure about this...

¤.¤.¤

 **[Secondary Quest! Revenge...**  
 **Goal:** find the Thunder Brother  
 **Reward:** +25XP per goal, +2 Hunting Trophies]

The Thunder Brothers, they soon learned, were the cause of the recent bloodshed that had attracted them to the country.  
The elder, Hiten, had a human like appearance, a testament to his strength since neither brother had been born daiyoukai, while the youngest, Manten, still had a beast form. Both were reputed for their gift with lightning, and had been wrecking havoc in the region, while getting their hands on all the Shikon shards they could.  
Shippou, they soon found, was both terrified of the two youkai that had killed his father, and determined to help kill them to avenge his father.

"Do you even know how to fight?" Tsukiko sighed at the kit insistence  
"I know how to use fox tricks and kitsune bi!" a slight blush "But its still not real..."  
"Real?" wondered Kagome, not really understanding what the child meant

"Kitsune are tricksters, illusionists." said InuYasha "But they are damn good at their games." he admitted, still a bit sore at having been caught by a kid  
"In other words, their illusions can even affect reality once they've trained enough." Tsukiko went on explaining "The heat-less fire from earlier could become as dangerous as true fire, or even more in a few years." she eyed the kit "Given what Ryo tells me about his siblings training, I guess your parents first taught you to distract the enemy to flee and hide?"  
The kit nodded, surprised and a bit embarrassed to realized she knew so well about his training.

Kagome was stunned to see Tsukiko unfasten her tanto from her sash after a moment of hesitation "Here." she gave him a serious stare "This is a loan." she stressed "This was the coming of age weapon of the Fang Clan leader before he gave it to me to settle a Life-Debt."  
The kit's eyes widened and he looked reverently at the weapon in his paws.

"You're too young to be able to kill the Thunder Brothers right now." Tsukiko continued "And they're too dangerous to be left alone." Shippou, nodded, repressing tears at the statement – it was true, and he understood it "But I'll kill them for you, and I'll train you." Tsukiko claimed "And when you've trained enough with this blade, I'll take it back, and we'll track down a youkai weapon-smith to have of your own made for you."

"Keh." grumbled InuYasha "I can understand killing the Thunder Brothers," he admitted "but shouldn't we drop the kit with your mate-to-be?" he asked "After all he's the one collecting orphans!"  
"He is." Tsukiko nodded "But Shippou is mine to train."  
"Keh. You'll be the one taking care of him then." InuYasha retorted, understanding his niece wouldn't change her mind  
"I'll help!" Kagome volunteered with a smile  
"Yes, yes." InuYasha waved the cheer away "We should get to the hunt if we want to get rid of those two bastards today!"  
Kagome and Tsukiko shared an amused smile – as much as he seemed to be protesting by his words, the hanyou was still itching to help Shippou just as much as them, even if he didn't admit to it.

Finding the two brothers hadn't been hard, as Shippou hadn't strayed too far from the place his father had been killed – but what really convinced the small hunting party that they were right to help the kit was the moment when he saw the large, fox-fur wrapped around the youngest brother's hips.  
"Ah! You're father is keeping me warm, maybe I'll make you into a hood so you can stay with daddy!" the beast yokai was taunting as soon as he heard the child's scream of rage and grief

At these words, even the peaceful Kagome became incensed, her weapon shifting into its awakened form without even a conscious thought about it from herself, so strong was her anger.

 **[Goal complete!** +25XP  
 **Goal update:** defeat the Thunder Brothers]

 **[Level up!** You are now level 135!  
 _+1SP, +2CP]_

InuYasha, Tessaiga in hands, was already rushing toward the eldest brother, and Kagome followed by placing herself defensively in front of the young youkai, deflecting the younger brother first attack.  
Manten clearly hadn't expected the human girl to defend herself, and eyed his bleeding hands nastily "How dare you!" he roared, youki gathering around him

"Get out of the way!" Shippou warned as lightning gathered in the youkai's maw "This is how he killed tou-san!"  
Kagome let her nanigata fade back to its smaller form and caught the kit, jumping them both out of the way – then both of them could only stare in awe as the lightning was eaten away by dark red flames.

"This is not only fox fire..." Shippou realized, nose twitching "There's blood powering these flames..."  
Kagome was surprised at the affirmation, but she did realize that she knew nearly nothing about the range of Tsukiko's abilities, so she didn't linger on the fact, focusing on keeping herself and the kit safe.  
Meanwhile, Tsukiko had been steadily batting away the other youkai attacks, making him look more and more winded, so much that he was soon calling for help.

InuYasha, who had been just keeping up with the more agile Hiten and his annoying ability to fly, was brutally thrown out of the way with one sweeping motion of the elder brother's trident, more forceful than his previous attacks as he was clearly anxious to fly to his younger sibling's help.  
Seeing quite a lot of blood from InuYasha's wound, Kagome turned to the tall dog that had been staying by her side "I've got to help him. Can you protect Shippou?"  
Padfoot nodded once, and shifted to his taller form.  
Thanking him, Kagome dashed toward InuYasha, that was already getting up "I'm fine, onna, don't start fussing!"

"If you don't let me stop the bleeding, you'll collapse before getting back into the fight, and that will leave your niece with only me as a back-up for the fight."  
"Tch. Hurry up!" the hanyou ungracefully relented, visibly itching to get back to the action, despite needing the Tessaiga's support to stay upright  
Shippou, from Padfoot's back, was seeing that the fight wasn't that easy against two opponents for the ookami that had pledged to help him – trembling a bit at what he was preparing himself to do, he climbed down the back of the Grimm.

¤.¤.¤

A low growl.

"I know I was told to stay here, but I have to help. You don't like staying back either, right?" he retorted to the canine  
A nearly soundless huff, and the next moment, the large dog was grabbing him by the scruff of the neck and landing them nearer to the fight in one powerful jump – and Shippou was pretty sure the two Thunder Brother should have seen both of them, if it wasn't for the shadows swirling around the Grimm.

"Thanks." he nodded, gripping FuurinKiba in his small hands before rushing and slashing at Manten's feet at the same time as Padfoot teared into Hiten's arm...  
"You little fucker!" wailed Manten, throwing him back in a violent motion  
Shippou didn't care – because there was a Thunder Brother's blood on his blade, and the idiot had turned his back to Tsukiko to retaliate against him, and that was a mistake that coast him his life.

Hiten screamed in agony as he saw his brother's body hit the ground, a large gaping wound across his back and his spine cut in halves, and youki swirled violently around him.  
"How dare you!"  
His trident sank through Tsukiko's shoulder so fast she didn't have time to escape, and Hiten rushed toward Manten's body, turning him on his back before sinking his claws into his chest.

"My brother, dead! How cruel!" the elder Thunder Brother was wailing "But you'll stay with me forever, won't you, Manten!" he added, wrenching his brother's heart out of his body  
"Don't let him eat it!" Tsukiko proclaimed while trying to free herself from the weapon that was nailing her against a rock  
Hearing the warning, InuYasha and Padfoot rushed toward the enemy youkai, intent on stopping him, but the Grimm was blasted away with a wave of lightning, and the hanyou was farther away.

By the time Tessaiga was rushing against Hiten once more, it was too late.

Kagome took a hold of the remaining Thunder Brother weapon, hissing as the weapon's youki burned her palms, but not stopping her efforts either – and soon she had freed her friend.  
"It's as if his power increased..." the miko realized when she looked at the ongoing fight between InuYasha and Hiten  
"It has." Tsukiko confirmed as the hanyou was forced to use the Tessaiga's shield to protect himself from one powerful burst of lightning – the attack used by Manten earlier "Go see if Shippou is alright," she added, seeing the form of the unconscious kit a bit farther away, blood dripping from his temple "I'll help oji-san."  
"You're hurt too!"Kagome protested  
"I heal far faster than even youkai." she reassured her "I'll be fine for now, I'll let you take a look later, alright?"

"Alright." grudgingly accepted Kagome, realizing that InuYasha did need help right now "I'll hold you to it!" she threatened before heading toward Shippou  
"I know." smiled Tsukiko before going back to help InuYasha, throwing a worried glance at Padfoot on the way – while he wasn't in danger, the Grimm still had taken a nasty hit

Hiten's power had easily doubled now that he had consumed Manten's youki – InuYasha had already been having trouble against the youkai earlier, who was far too fast for him. The wheels had to go, Tsukiko decided, eyeing the two youki-enhanced contraption that were apparently letting the elder Thunder Brother fly.  
She wasn't given a change to act on this decision as Hiten's fury rose at seeing her up again, and he turned his attention from InuYasha toward her, lightning crackling around him in a physical aura...

While he was now more powerful, Tsukiko soon realized as she defended against the rain of furious attacks, Hiten was also a lot more careless, and she could use this against him. She decided against dodging an attack, and of course the enemy youkai took the opportunity, never realizing that it left him wide open to InuYasha.  
Thankfully, her uncle had come to the same conclusion as her – and while he couldn't finish the Thunder Brother from his angle, he did cleave through the enchanted wheels that let him fly, buying them a bit of breathing room as Hiten couldn't attack from afar anymore, and the poison on Tsukiko's blade was starting to take it's toll on him...

Step by step, they pushed the youkai back, uncle and niece working together without needing to even think about it – and with on last powerful attack from the Tessaiga, Hiten was falling on the ground, just as dead as his brother.

 **[Quest complete!** +25XP  
 **Reward:** +2 Hunting Trophies  
 **Bonus goal complete! First blood!**  
 _Shippou managed to leave his mark on one of the Thunder Brothers..._  
 **Bonus Reward:** (50+25)XP, **A Kitsune's Resolve** Perk unlocked (+10 to one Tail skill)]

 **[Level up!** Kagome is now level 55!  
 _+3SP, +2CP]  
_ **[Level up!** InuYasha is now level 104!  
+1SP]  
 **[Level up!** Shippou is now level 31!  
 _+1PP, +2CP, +6SP]_

"Tch. You shouldn't let yourself get hurt like that!" the hanyou mumbled at his niece, each leaning on the other to get back to Kagome after the young ookami had snatched the defeated enemy's Shikon shards  
"I heal fast."  
"Doesn't mean you have to take any hit. Think about what the bastard would say!"

"Something along the lines of me needing more training..." Tsukiko admitted, laughing "Getting hurt like that isn't worthy of the Heiress of the House of Moon!" she added amused "Of course, he would also fuss about my wounds and demand that Ryo heal me..."  
"I can't believe the bastard became an over-protective father-hen..." InuYasha laughed  
"Chichi-ue was alone to take care of me..." Tsukiko pointed out softly "By the time he learned haha-ue was with child, and found her, she had been killed, and the monsters were turning toward me." a bitter shrug "My first memories in this life are of being bathed in my mother's blood..." she admitted

InuYasha didn't answer – but there was no need, as she could feel his youki mingle amicably with hers, in the unique way it did among pack members...

¤.¤.¤

As Tsukiko had been rushing back into the fight Kagome had made her way toward Shippou – as she passed by Manten's mangled body, she let out a shudder of disgust, then paused in her steps, as her eyes caught the large fur still tied around the youkai's waist.  
Eyes hardening, she stepped toward the body, ignoring the blood, and quickly reclaimed the beautiful light pelt before going to the young kit that was slowly coming back to life...

"Don't move." she stopped him, hands alight with reiki "I haven't finished healing you yet..."  
Shippou's eyes widened as he realized that not only was the human girl a miko – which he hadn't sensed - but on top of that she was healing him, something that wasn't supposed to be possible!  
"Here," Kagome finally told him as she finished working on his wound "this should be yours."  
"Thanks." Shippou mumbled, clutching the pelt against him – kitsune were proud of their appearance, and to see his father's fur used so carelessly by his enemy had been monstrous

"His powers are still lingering." a new voice commented – and the kit realized that the fight was over, and the ookami and hanyou were back, both hurts but still alive  
Tears started to roll along his cheeks as realized that it was done – that his father was avenged, and yet, he was still alone...

"Do you want to merge with it?"  
"Is it possible?" he asked hopefully  
"I'll guide you." the ookami promised  
"What is she talking about?" Kagome whispered to InuYasha, not wanting to bother her friend while she was talking with the kid  
"It's a bit of the same idea as when Hiten ate Manten's heart. When someone close to you die, if you're attuned enough to his youki, you can take this power to be part of your own..."

Tsukiko had placed the pelt around Shippou and was taken him through the steps of unleashing his own youki.

"Still, most orphans can't do this because it's dangerous for a child to try this alone." he explained – Kagome wondered how he knew so much about this, since he didn't seem to know a lot about youkai culture "I saw a young child from the panther tribe try once..." his eyes darkened "He failed, and died in the attempt, the youki too potent for his body."  
Kagome's eyes widened, worry creeping in even though she knew Tsukiko wouldn't let anything like that happen to the young kit they had just met, and she and InuYasha turned their attention toward the two youkai.

There was enough youki in the air that was nearly visible, even thought it wasn't as oppressive as either of the Thunder Brother had been – or as Tsukiko's when she was angry – and it was looking like the kit was in the center of an inferno of golden flames.  
Tsukiko's power was gently guiding Shippou's, and suddenly, where there had been as small child with a fluffy tail, there was a small kit with a light fur that seemed to be taking on a golden tint as the youki around him condensed and sunk back into his body.  
Within moments, the youki had sank back into the young fox's body, and he had reverted to his human form, visibly winded, and hairs and tail far lighter than they had been earlier

 **[Hidden Quest Complete! The Golden Kitsune...**  
 _By merging with his father's youki, Shippou took on his gift too_  
 **Reward:** +100XP, Shippou unlocks **Golden Kitsune Inheritance** (+2 Intelligence, +1 Wisdom every decade)]

 **[Level up!** You are now level 136!  
 _+1SP]_  
 **[Level up!** Kagome is now level 57!  
 _+2SP]_  
 **[Level up!** InuYasha is now level 105!  
 _+1SP, +2CP]_  
 **[Level up!** Shippou is now level 35!  
 _+2CP, +4SP]_

Kagome winced as she took a look around, realizing that everybody was spent, and they were still in the middle of a bloody battlefield. With a sigh, she went to Tsukiko, ready to take a look at her wounds – even if everybody was tired, they had to at least leave the battlefield if they wanted to make camp for the night.  
The miko nearly smothered Shippou in a grateful hug when the kit announced that he knew an area not to far where they could spent the night.

A few hours later, they were set up for the night, Tsukiko and InuYasha's wound already healed – and Kagome still couldn't believe how fast her friend healed, even InuYasha had been surprised.  
Shippou had crashed down as soon as he could, and was now sleeping peacefully, nested against Padfoot.

"Is there a reason why you don't want to sent him to the future?" Kagome asked finally  
Tsukiko glanced at the sleeping form, before admitting "I know for a fact that Shippou grew up in this era."  
"Oh, so this is someone you know in our time, then?"  
The ookami was clearly repressing a new bout of laughter, before managing to announce "This is Kin Shippou, founder of the House of Leaf, strongest of the generals working under chichi-ue's orders... also known as my father-in-law, and the kitsune who marked me as an alpha when I passed the coming of age rite several life-time ago."

"Eh?"  
For once, InuYasha wasn't protesting at Kagome's loudness – as his exclamation as been just as loud as hers.  
As for Shippou – the kit mumbled in his sleep, before sinking his head further into Padfoot's fur to cut out the noise they were making.

* * *

¤.¤.¤

* * *

It had taken them a few days to get back to Edo, and along the way, Shippou had integrated himself seamlessly into the small group.  
True to her word, Tsukiko had taken to teach him, oral lessons shared with Kagome during their hike through the countryside about youkai culture and general knowledge, and practical on the evening, when Kagome was made to work on her miko skills while the kit worked on his Kitsune Bi and started to learn the basic needed to fight.

By the time they had reached Kaede's village, they had even explained about Chaos Game to the young kitsune, thinking it best to make him have a **Recall Point** as soon as possible so that he had a know location to retreat to if something happened to them during their travels.  
Quick-witted and playful as he was, Shippou learned remarkably fast how to use Chaos Game, and took the news that Tsukiko and Kagome both came from the future in stride when they explained about the well.

Their stop at Edo wasn't to be a long one – Kagome would spend the afternoon in the future to drop by her current studying material and get the next packet, while Tsukiko would take advantage of the occasion to train Shippou a bit more than when they were traveling.  
Of course, that plan hadn't lasted long, as just as Kagome was climbing out of the well, she'd met with her brother and Saiyuri.

"We're going to the hospital," the miko explained "apparently Souta has been feeling youki around a class-mate that has been in a coma for six months."  
With that, Kagome had quickly decided that Mahoutokoro could wait a bit, and followed the two of them – Souta explaining on the way how ever since his friend Satoru was in the hospital, strange accidents had been happening around him, and to all people who came to see him.

"I'm the only one who still go to see him." the kid admitted depressingly "All the other kids at school are too scared." his eyes lightened "But since I know about miko and youkai and everything, I've been wondering if maybe there wasn't more to it... And when I went to see him last week, I realized I could feel something. So I asked Sa-chan to help!" he concluded with a hopeful smile  
"So, why is your friend in a coma? Did he have an accident?"  
"There was a fire." Kagome's brother explained "Satoru's okaa-san saved him, but his sister died." he explained  
Souta had been right, Kagome realized as soon as they were in the hospital room – there was a faint, but persistent feeling of youki present.

And suddenly, there was a little girl protruding from under the bed and snatching at the IV line of the unconscious kid violently.  
"What are you doing!" Kagome protested  
Saiyuri already had thrown four sutra around the room, and reiki pulsed – the little girl, that had been starting to fade out, phased back into reality "What are you doing!" she protested loudly

On the other side of the bed, Satoru's mother gasped, eyes widening as she took a look at the silhouette that was only now becoming visible for her.  
"So you are the one who have been provoking all these accidents, aren't you?" Saiyuri noted calmly  
"What is it to you?" the girl bit out  
Kagome noticed that by the small girl's side, a round youkai with a feathery tail was floating, eyes half-opened, and playing some kind of flute – this had to be the one who'd produced the youki in the room.

"Mayu-chan!" the heart-breaking cry was coming from Satoru's mother, Kagome noticed – confirming the identity of the child  
This was Satoru's sister, the one who died in the fire...

The girl took a step back, as if struck, when hearing her mother's call – the woman was crying, the kimono she had been working on while watching her son slipping to the ground "Oh Mayu-chan!" she repeated "I'm so sorry! I didn't know you were inside!"  
The little girl's eyes widened at the confession, and she asked in a trembling voice "You're... not angry at me? You hadn't forgotten about me? Even thought it's my fault?"  
Her mother's answer was to take her into her arms, sobbing heart-brokenly "I would have come back for you," she promised "I would have gone back if I had known you were inside!"

There was no lie there, Kagome could tell – because the woman's hands were still gravely burned from the trip into the fire she had taken to save her son.  
"I didn't want to make a fire!" Mayu finally said, breaking down, tears falling unbidden "I just wanted okaa-san to find me and make up... I'm sorry..."  
The youkai, Kagome noticed, closed his eyes at these words – and the little girl turned toward them "Thank you. I don't know what you did, but it forced me to stay and see okaa-san again..."

Saiyuri merely nodded her head in reply, and reiki stirred to the room once more, the four sutra on the walls falling into dust, and Mayu leaving, the youkai leading her away.  
A few seconds later, Satoru opened his eyes...

 **[Hunting Complete! Tatari Mokke**  
 **Reward:** +25XP, +1 Hunting Trophy]

"This was a youkai that plays with the soul of children until they are ready to pass on and guide them to the after-life." Saiyuri explained to Kagome and Souta, while the doctors were rushing to his friend's bedside "But it also takes them to hell if they don't want to pass on and become too close from turning into polergeist. A Tatari Mokke opening his eyes is a sad and terrible thing..."  
"The eyes... That was why he closed his eyes back when Mayu calmed down, isn't it?" the younger miko realized  
"Exactly." Saiyuri turned toward Souta "You were right in calling me. That little girl was close from become a poltergeist, with all the accidents she provoked around her brother."

"What did you do exactly?" the little boy asked "I felt reiki in the sutra, but I don't know what it did."  
"This was a barrier to keep a spirit inside and calm it." she explained, before warning "But it's not all powerful, it only gave an inclination to calming down. If Mayu herself hadn't wanted it, it wouldn't have worked, and I would have had to perform an exorcism."  
Kagome nodded, remembering what Tsukiko had taught her about spirits and exorcism, before realizing "Do you have several sutra stocked in your Inventory?"

"I have." the huntress confirmed, explaining how fast she had reacted "It lets me have several different ones for most occasions, but for miko who don't have the luxury, they carry a few generic sutra on them all of the time." a few strips of rice paper appeared between her fingers "Here, take those, it'll give you something to study during your travels. Tsukiko never was big on sutra."

"She isn't." Kagome nodded "She gave me a bit of theory, but admitted to not using them a lot."  
"Student are taught several basic ones, and with time you develop your own." Saiyuri explained "Studying mine will help your understand better the difference between generic sutra and personal ones."

Kagome thanked the miko once more – before realizing how late it was, and rushing to Mahoutokoro to drop her school-work and pick up more. Night had fallen by the time she was back from the school, had picked up a few more provisions for her Inventory and was back into the past.  
Climbing out of the old well, she was thankful for Chaos Game's Inventory, knowing that without it she'd have to carry a heavy backpack each time she went to the past.

* * *

¤.¤.¤

* * *

With Kagome back from the future, the small hunting party was soon on the road again, InuYasha and Shippou happily bickering along while Tsukiko was making the young miko memorize any and all healing or poisoning plants.  
"So... Why is InuYasha always bullying Shippou?" the lone human girl asked as the hanyou and the kitsune were further ahead on the road  
"Well, part of it is instinct." Tsukiko pointed out "He's teaching him quite a bit about brawling in his own way, and Shippou-chan has to be more and more cunning to get him with his pranks..."  
"And the other part?"

"Childishness." Tsukiko stated blandly, making Kagome face-fault, before expanding "You've got to remember that InuYasha is mentally about the same age as you with his two centuries."  
"True." Kagome realized, lessons coming back to her mind "But I'm not a bully."  
"Well, you're also a lot more mature than a lot of teenagers." her friend retorted  
"So..." Kagome wondered "What age would you be supposed to be as a human?"

Tsukiko reddened, and a snort from further ahead indicated that InuYasha had been listening to them "I told you she's a fucking pup!"  
"Am not!" well, even the usually calm princess had her bouts of childishness, Kagome couldn't help but note, amused at the answer  
"Please, you're not even twice as old as the brat!"  
The miko couldn't help but be surprised at the affirmation, glancing between Shippou and Tsukiko "Uh, come to think of it, how old are you, Shippou-chan?"  
"I'm fifty-four!" the kit answered enthusiastically  
"See!" a satisfied InuYasha pointed "I was right, the brat is fifty and the annoying princess isn't one hundred yet! A fucking pup!"

"Technically, Shippou would be around five or six year old as a human." Tsukiko explained "And with my eighty-four years, I would be a bit under ten."  
InuYasha burst out laughing at the admission, before Tsukiko finally lost her temper at him "You know just as well as I do that even if I'm young, as long as I've gone through the rite of passage and my second growing spur, I'm adult!"  
"But you haven't!" InuYasha pointed out, still laughing

"Did you forget I'm an alpha?" she replied back tartly  
"Alpha you maybe, you're still growing up!" he answered – and at that, Tsukiko didn't have an answer, since she was indeed still in the middle of her second growing spur  
Kagome was speechless.  
Did InuYasha really just managed to win an argument against Tsukiko?  
Apparently having come to the same conclusion, Shippou was suddenly jumping on InuYasha's back, tricks at the ready "Stop bullying Tsuki-chan!"  
And with that, the two were back to bickering again...

"I hadn't realized you were so young," Kagome admitted to her friend as they started to walk again "Isn't your father worried about you?"  
"Chichi-ue have memories I don't, so he already knows quite a bit about what is happening right now." the ookami reminded her "And if you'd remembered his teaching method, you'd know he isn't easily worried."  
"True." the miko nodded, remembering the beating InuYasha had taken against his brother the last time the two had met

¤.¤.¤

The next day, they had to take a boat to further their journey – once again they were followings hearsay about an increase in violence in the region they were heading toward. But InuYasha, Kagome realized, seemed a lot me restless than was usual for him, and the occasional glances Tsukiko was throwing him between her lessons were proof enough that the youkai had noticed too...  
The young miko was relaxing on the small boat they were on when, rising her head, she caught a movement at the top of the cliff overhanging the river they were on – and the next second, a scream was heard, and she realized that it was a girl, running away from some kind of youkai.

"Shit! She's gonna fall on the boat!" InuYasha realized a moment later, jumping to catch the girl before she overturned their embarkation, while Tsukiko and Kagome swiftly turned said boat toward the riverbank where the hanyou had landed  
The girl the hanyou had just rescue wasn't very grateful, Kagome mused while healing her.  
While she had thanked InuYasha initially, she had also pushed him back in the water when she realized he wasn't human, before insulting both Shippou and Tsukiko...

"I hate things like youkai!" she was saying vehemently, clearly wondering what a powerful miko like Kagome was doing with them  
"So, what were those things?" Kagome asked, ignoring the girl's pointed comment toward her friends  
"Kumo gashira." the girl explained "They settled over them mountain last spring. They take possession of corpse's head and attack people." a sigh and recently they have become a lot more active..."

Kagome frowned.  
Clearly, this was the rumor they had been chasing – yet InuYasha was stating "We should go, I want to be out of this mountain before nightfall."  
"It's not as if I need help from youkai!" the rescued girl harrumphed before standing up and looking for a place to climb back up the cliff

Tsukiko sighed, both at InuYasha's bout of grumpiness, and the hopelessness of the girl that wasn't making any progress heading back – dusting herself, she picked the girl from the ground and dropped her on Padfoot, before turning toward them "There's no helping it, isn't there?"  
"What do you want to do in this mountain?" InuYasha protested at his niece as they started to climb, Kagome on his back

"That increase in violence around the time the Shikon no Tama was shattered... There may not be any shard in here, there clearly is someone who wants them."  
"And so we're gifting them away?" the hanyou retorted, irony biting in his tone  
"We're busting the trap." Tsukiko corrected "Kagome's wish is to prevent the Shikon no Tama from causing chaos. Disposing of the idiots hunting it is a part of it, from a certain point of view..."  
"We're not getting out of this, aren't we?" the hanyou realized with a resigned tone

"We're not." Tsukiko confirmed with a smile "But don't worry, I'm having Kagome-chan and Shippou-chan do the fighting!"  
The protesting "Eh!" from the two was covered by a loud "And how is that supposed to reassure me?" from InuYasha  
"Well since it's a training session, I'll be there to take care of them if they bite more than they can chew." Tsukiko winked at her uncle "You've got a couple of vacation days!"

At the affirmation, the hanyou's eyes widened in understanding, Kagome noted – whatever had been his problem since earlier, the ookami must have understood and resolved it, she decided, as he was suddenly a lot less sullen...

 **[Secondary Quest! We need a montage...**  
 **First goal:** find Kumo garashi lair  
 **Second** **goal** : find the Kumo garashi leader  
 **Third goal:** defeat kumo garashi  
 **Fourth goal:** defeat kumo garashi leader  
 **Bonus goal:** have only Kagome and Shippou fight the leader  
 **second bonus goal:** finish the quest before the end of the new moon  
 **Reward:** +25XP per goal, +1 Hunting Trophy, unlocks _Arena System_ upon completion  
 **Bonus Reward:** +50XP per bonus goal, update _Hunting System_ upon completion]

"Is Chaos mocking us?" Kagome asked when seeing the quest title  
"I'm pretty sure he is." nodded InuYasha, though not for the same reason  
"It's pretty usual from him." Tsukiko announced, making the two glance at her "Well seriously, what did you expect from the god of Chaos? He likes being entertained..."  
"This makes a surprising amount of sense." Kagome sighed

Finally, after a bit of a hike, the group reached a small, gloom looking temple at the top of the cliff.

They were welcomed by an old priest who thanked them for bringing back his charge – the girl, who apparently was named Nazuna – and invited them to stay the night.  
While Nazuna was sent to provide a meal for them, the old man turned their attention back toward them "I'm sorry for her attitude," he said "since her father was killed by the kumo gashira she gained an irrational hatred toward all youkai." a quizzical look "Still, it's strange..." he mused "You look like a youkai, but don't feel like one." he said to InuYasha, who frowned at the affirmation, but was prevented from attacking by a calming hand from his niece "And you look like a youkai, yet feel like a miko."  
The ookami smiled serenely at the observation, but didn't answer.

Guessing he wouldn't get any answer, the priest guided them toward the temple, and soon they had supper, and retired for the night.

¤.¤.¤

"So! Test time!" happily announced Tsukiko as the group settled into the room they had been given "Kagome-chan, Shippou-chan, what did you feel, what do you think?"  
"The old priest said that there was a barrier, but I didn't feel anything blocking me out." the kitsune pointed out "Even if it was too weak to stop us, we should have at least felt something, right?"  
"True." Kagome noted "This is supposed to be a temple, yet there isn't a hint of reiki." she realized, finally putting into words what had been bugging her "I don't know how the kumo gashira haven't attacked yet, but it's clearly not thanks to any ward like the priest said."

"It's just like Tsuki-chan said earlier, isn't it?" Shippou realized first "It's a trap."  
"We've already established that." InuYasha groaned  
"The temple itself is the trap." Shippou insisted "There's a priest without reiki, a ward that isn't where it's supposed to be... Don't you think it's strange how this place is supposedly the only safe haven on the mountain?"

"Anyone traveling in the region would have to stop by here." Kagome realized what the kit was trying to say "He's right, it's the ideal lair for a youkai that's trying to steal the Shikon shards!"  
"And it means that the priest is a fake!" loudly proclamed Shippou "That's why there's no reiki nor wards! If he's a youkai, he doesn't have reiki, and if he's the leader her can just order the kumo garashi to stay away!"

 **[First goal complete!** +25XP  
 **Second goal complete!** +25XP  
 **Supplementary bonus goal complete!**  
 _You've guessed the Kumo garashi leader's nefarious plan_  
 **Bonus reward:** (50+25)XP]

 **[Level up!** Kagome is now level 59!  
 _+2SP]_  
 **[Level up!** InuYasha is now level 106!  
 _+1SP]_  
 **[Level up!** Shippou is now level 39!  
 _+4SP]_

It was as Chaos Game confirmed their theory that youki started to pulse around them.  
The trap had been sprung they realized – the fake priest would now be trying to get his paws on their Shikon shards.

"Well," Tsukiko smiled as if they weren't surrounded by enemy youkai "it's your show kids, what do we do?"  
"We get rid of them!" Shippou proclaimed loudly, kitsune bi launching multiple attacks around them  
"I think Tsuki-chan was more asking about a plan." Kagome informed the kit, nanigata in hands – she started to cut a path through the youkai "It's not like they are going to let us go quietly, since we've got what they want."

"Plus there's the annoying human girl." Shippou realized "I don't think she knew the priest was a fake. Even if she's ungrateful we can't just leave her to die!" he affirmed  
"Aren't you proud, oji-san?" Tsukiko wiped a fake tear "Look at how grown up they are acting!" she said, waving at the two who were actually fighting at the entrance of the room  
"I guess your lessons aren't completely useless." he admitted reluctantly  
"Still," the ookami noted "There's a lot of annoying pests. Padfoot, time to earn you keep, big lump!"  
Her familiar gave her an unimpressed look, and shadows swirled around him – the next moment, the Grimm was reaping through the spiders, under the hanyou's disbelieving eyes.

"Well, I was right." he stated as they used the path cleaned from enemies to follow the three fighters "You are lazy."  
"I'm not lazy," corrected Tsukiko "I'm just giving the kids a chance to grow." she joked  
Or rather, half-joked, the hanyou realized – because her eyes were watchful, and she clearly was itching to jump into the fray.  
She was just like her father, in a way he suddenly understood – letting her friend fight in order for her to learn rather than making her task too easy for her by doing all the hard work.

Tsukiko twitched, as Shippou nearly did not avoid a spider, but managed to prevent herself from jumping ahead to save the kit – scratches were okay, after all, they weren't in too much danger for now.  
"Please help!" the hunting group was surprised to see Nazuna clawing her way out of the attacking youkai  
With a swift move, Tsukiko rushed ahead and grabbed her - she wasn't testing her after all.  
"They have the priest!" the girl said, sounding desperate "Please save him!"

"A trap within a trap..." Kagome whispered, unheard by the girl – the youkai around her nodded  
What better way to draw them toward the true enemy than a plea for help? And judging by how desperate she looked, the girl clearly had no idea she was being used...  
"Well, we're heading that way anyway!" Shippou commented lightly "She'll understand when faced with their leader..." he added in a quieter voice, feeling bad for the girl who had been tricked by the fake priest  
Within a few minutes, they had reached the temple inner sanctum, where the old priest seemed to be trapped within spider webs.  
"You shouldn't have come..." he protested feebly

"You know, if we hadn't realized earlier he was a fake, I would have believed it." Shippou announced to their group  
"What do you mean?" Nazuna protested  
Her protest was cut short by the priest guttural chuckle "We'll, if you've already seen trough my ploy, there's no need to keep this up, isn't there?"  
With a pulse of youki, the fake priest true appearance was revealed – and the spider-web that looked like a prison earlier was in fact his body...  
"What is going on?" asked Nazuna weakly

"You were so easy to trick!" the youkai laughed "So eager to believing in the kind priest that prayed for the soul of those attacked by the spiders!" his spider-web body attacked in several directions at once "Not once did you realize you were serving your father's murderer!"  
"You..." her eyes widened "You killed my father!" she realized, voice filling with spite "What did you do with the real priest?" she demanded  
"There was never any priest! It was just a trap to get the Shikon shards!" he laughed

The part of the spider-web that had been creeping toward the defenseless girl was suddenly engulfed in bright, golden flames – the strongest Shippou had ever made, Tsukiko noted. The kit was trembling with rage, and the reason why became clear as soon as he opened his mouth "I really hate it! Youkai becoming mad and killing everyone in their path just for a few glass shards!"  
It wasn't hard to comprehend he was talking about the Thunder Brother and his father just as much as about Nazuna and the priest, Tsukiko mused with a sad smile...

"It's because of bastards like you that humans think all youkai are blood-thirsty beasts!" he added, his kitsune bi flaring for another attack, FuurinKiba held much more expertly in his hands than a week before "I'm not a beast! I don't need a cursed jewel to grow strong!"  
The kit's passion was affecting Nazuna, Tsukiko realized with a proud smile, and the fiery attacks had taken their toll on the enemy youkai – but Shippou was young still, and the intensive use of his fire was making itself known, the child much less steady on his feet than he was a few minutes earlier.

¤.¤.¤

The kumo gashira leader realized it, and swiftly took advantage of it, head rushing toward Shippou, and biting into his shoulder.  
Tsukiko fury was cold, InuYasha mused as he felt the air around them chill as she realized the kit was hurt and jumped toward him to get him out of the youkai's reach.

But just like he'd said earlier, her training hadn't been useless – far from it. Because the same time the youkai took advantage of to attack the weakening kit, Kagome had put to good use, and a nanigata crackling with reiki separated the fake priest head from his body just as Shippou fell into Tsukiko's arms.

 **[Secondary Quest complete!**  
 **Third goal complete!** +25XP  
 **Forth goal complete!** +25XP  
 **Reward:** _Arena System_ unlocked, +5 Hunting Trophies  
 **Bonus goal complete!** (50+25)XP  
 **Second bonus goal complete!** (50+25)XP  
 **Bonus reward:** _Hunting System_ updated]

 **[Level up!** You are now level 137!  
 _+1SP_ **  
[Level up!** Kagome is now level 62!  
 _+1PP, +2CP +3SP]_  
 **[Level up!** InuYasha is now level 108!  
 _+2SP]_  
 **[Level up!** Shippou is now level 44!  
5 _SP]_

 **[System log:** Arena System

The _Arena System_ is made of several tabs. The _Boss Tab_ contains a list of Boss that can be fought once a week, and unlocks special bonus upon defeating them for the first time; the _Challenge Tab_ is updated randomly with leveled or timed challenges that each unlocks different victory bonus and the _Arena Tab_ allow you to set up an arena with different settings to train in.

 _note that while you can't die while using the Boss Tab and Arena Tab, the Challenge Tab does no grant any immunity]_

 **[System log update:** Hunting System

 _Party Tab_ now has more options. A hunting party with sufficiently strong ties can now evolve in a pack. Pack have further advantage than Hunting Party and can unlock even more in the _Reward Tab_.]

Normally, Kagome would be the one doing the healing, and there was no denying the fact she was better than the ookami at it – but the teen-aged girl had given her all to the fight, and was in no state to be healing anyone. And Shippou needed healing now – the kumo parting gift had been a poison particularly potent for such a low-life, and while most youkai developed a resistance to a number of poison as they aged, the kit was still far to young to have it yet...

Still, the hanyou knew enough about youkai physiology to realize that the kit would be fine eventually – but it wasn't a reason the let him suffer while burning the poison out of his system.  
Finally, Tsukiko leaned back with a sigh, and admitted "I've gotten rid of most of the poison, now he'll just have to sweat out the fever."  
"Let's recall then." InuYasha suggested – Shippou would be weak for a few days, now point in staying out in the wild since the rumor they had been following was a dead end anyway

Kagome was too tired to show her surprise at the proposition – usually, the hanyou was always ready to push them a bit further everyday, regularly forgetting that between a kit and a human, the group needed more rest than he was used to. She smiled softly – each day, she had more proof that his rough outward persona was nothing more than a cover for a gentler personality...  
Tiredly getting up, she was quickly gathering the few belongings they had that weren't stuffed in their Inventory, while Tsukiko gently woke Shippou up, and a few minutes latter, farewell gieven to Nazuna, they had recalled back to Kaede's hut.

The old miko welcomed them warmly like always, and was prompt to help them situate Shippou for the night.  
Soon, Kaede and Kagome were sleeping too – after a long moment of silence, InuYasha finally stated "You're worrying too much."  
"It's my fault he's hurt."

"You said it yourself, didn't you," he reminded her "better half dead under our watch than completely dead out there because we coddled him. The kit is stronger than you think."  
"I know that he's strong." she contradicted "And I know it was better for him to fight here, and learn from it..." a sigh "But I don't like seeing him like that either. He's so young!"  
"You're barely older than him." InuYasha reminded her "By that reasoning, you shouldn't be out there either, previous life or not."  
She couldn't contradict him – just like during her previous life, she realized that even if she was more mature than most her age, her physical body still was that of a young youkai girl. Finally she nodded, fingers dragging through Shippou's hair...

Who who'd have thought that InuYasha would have been the one to lift her spirit?

A long moment went by in comfortable silence, before the hanyou decided to ask about something that had been on his mind since the morning.  
"You know don't you?"  
"About a hanyou's weakness?" she stated rather than asked "I do." she confirmed "And I can both feel it and smell it."  
"Why didn't you say anything?"

"Even in our time, most hanyou don't like to have their day of shifting to be known, even if it is much less dangerous than nowadays..." a shrug "I can't help my senses, so I tend to know things like that, but it's considered common courtesy not to talk about it first." her eyes were calm but serious "It's a great sign of trust for a hanyou to share this day with people, it has to be your decision to tell Kagome-chan and Shippou-chan."  
He didn't commented on the way she sounded, as if she knew he'd tell the others eventually – tell them something he'd never shared with anyone, for a hanyou in these days and age couldn't just trust people that easily.

Telling them – it would mean believing completely in them; and that was something InuYasha didn't know if he'd ever be able to do, he'd spent to much time protecting himself from the world around him.  
Still, it was a nice thought...

¤.¤.¤

By the next morning, Kagome was feeling as good as new, Shippou was already a lot less pale, and Tsukiko and InuYasha acted as if they hadn't had any discussion in the middle of the night – yet Kagome, ever so sensitive to peoples, could tell that something had changed.  
That not only had InuYasha shed a bit more of his protective shell, but Tsukiko, too, seemed a bit lighter than the evening before.  
The miko smile, happy to see that somewhere on the road, the two had started to become family.

As they were going to spend a few days in Edo to let Shippou recover, Tsukiko soon decided to take advantage of their downtime to pile more lessons on Kagome – Shippou had insisted he was well enough to participate too, but the ookami had put her foot down, making the kit follow a lighter schedule for as long as they were staying in town.  
It wasn't until the evening that they started to go over the previous day battle, and the rewards unlocked...

Everybody was clear about the fact that the _Arena System_ was going to be very useful – it was a training tool that could give a true battle experience, without the pesky risk of dying. The Challenges, of course, would have to me examined on a case by case basis, since they were more life-threatening.  
"The Pack System really is an impressive upgrade from the Hunting Party," Kagome was soon noting, tabs open under her eyes "And we already meet the requirement to transform the Shikon Shards Hunting Party into one!" a mischievous smile "So what are you waiting for, Tsuki-chan?"

"Why should I be the one to do it?" she protested immediately  
"Well, you're our alpha, aren't you?" the human girl smiled "You teach us and protect us..."  
"And what a marvelous job I've done." she couldn't help but retort sarcastically

"You have." Shippou confirmed, surprising her "I would never have been able to fight like I did before I met you." he said "Not only because I didn't have the skill, but because I would've been too terrified." his eyes were strangely serious for such a young child "yesterday, I was afraid, but not enough to be unable to move, or to want to flee. And I got hurt, but I also learned a lot." a smile "And I wouldn't have been able to without you," his eyes took in the other three members of their small group "without any of you." he emphasized

Tsukiko turned toward InuYasha, somehow expecting that him at least, would have something to say against it – but the hanyou wasn't any help as he merely pointed at her face "Your already an alpha, pup."  
And that was it.

A pack, in Chaos Game, could only be evolved from a hunting party that was either three year old, or had accumulated a set amount of XP since it's creation – an amount they already had accumulated, even if by a small margin, in a surprisingly short amount of time.  
The pack could chose to keep his name, or change it, as well as chose an insignia, which would provide a first passive boost to the members as long as they wore it.  
The other part of the pack's passive boost was chosen according to the Alpha's characteristics.

"Do we really want to name ourselves after that cursed jewel?" Kagome had wondered as they debated whether keeping or changing their group's name "I mean, it's the thing that brought us together, but it's not as if we're suddenly going to stop being friends because we've completed it, is it?"  
"Tch. As if it was possible to get rid of an annoying girl like you that easily." commented InuYasha - which was his way of agreeing

"Say, Tsuki-chan, do you have a nickname that has stuck through your different reincarnations?" the miko wondered "I mean, obviously Ryo-dono calls you _bambina_ but..." her eyes widened "The shinigami! He called you Shadow, didn't he?" she remembered  
"The Shadow Pack?" Shippou tried out "I like the sound of it." the young kitsune nodded enthusiastically "What kind of insignia should we use?" he wondered

A low huff from Padfoot called attention to him, the Grimm letting a bit of his powers seep into his steps, leaving a large paw-print on the ground, that looked to be gleaming an ethereal silver in the hut's dim light.  
"A Grimm foot-print huh?" Tsukiko realized "That makes sense, Grimm are a creature of darkness and shadows after all."

[ **Shadow Pack LV1** created!  
 **\- pack bonus:** +1 to all Regeneration Rates  
 **\- insignia bonus:** +1 Shadow damage to all attack (cost 50 YP or 50 RP)  
 **\- alpha bonus:** +3 Agility, +50% teaching bonus  
 **\- beta bonus:** +1 Endurance, +25% teaching bonus  
 **-XP to LV2:** 150/1250]

Padfoot had been more than happy to provide his power and prints for the insignia – he had even shifted to a smaller size in order for his paws not to be too large for the girls and Shippou; then decided that this size was too comfortable to leave.  
As such, job done, he'd soon found himself in pup size, lazying on Tsukiko's head.  
"Suddenly, I found myself wondering if her didn't learn to change size just to be able to do that again..." his mistress wondered suspiciously – the pup-sized Grimm on her head didn't bother to answer, far to comfortable

"It's really pretty..." Kagome noted, admiring the silvery symbol tattooed on the back of her hand "But how did he do this?" she asked Tsukiko "I mean, I can clearly feel reiki..."  
"Padfoot is a Grimm," her friend explained patiently "in other words, he's not a youkai but a holy servant, just like you, but a bit more furry..." she teased "What he did is infuse his reiki in his paw-print like would do with words on a sutra."  
"So this mark is going to be here only as long as there's his reiki in it, isn't it?"

"Well, normally yes, but it's Padfoot. He's set up the mark to regenerate part of it's sustaining reiki by absorbing the shadows around it."  
"Oh wow." Kagome looked at the mark with awe "I can't believe your dog is better than me at using his reiki..." she added with a comical frown  
"He's not better," contradicted the ookami "he just uses it differently, and he's had more experience with it too." an amused smile "He can't heal anyone, for example since his powers aren't geared at all toward it..."

"We'll have to take some of the Challenges," InuYasha announced – familiar with the marking concept of youkai, he was far less fascinated with Padfoot's mark than Kagome, even if it had been weird at first to have the feeling of reiki so close to his own youki "some of them unlock interesting Pack bonus, or grant more Pack experience." he announced

"You've been a beta for all of five minutes and your already more mature!" Shippou teased amiably  
"Keh!"  
The hanyou wasn't blushing, but he wasn't far from it, Kagome mused – and his surprised look when Tsukiko had announced that he would be beta had been very cute – apparently he had expected the ookami to take her as a beta, since the two girls had know each other for so long...

A beta was the right-hand of an alpha, Tsukiko had explained for her sake, the one that made happened the alpha's orders when he couldn't do it himself, and the second strongest protector of the pack.  
With a description like that, Kagome didn't know why InuYasha had thought she'd be any good at it – sure she could heal people, and maintain peace when tempers were running high, but she wouldn't be able to provide food without the stock in her Inventory, and she was nowhere as strong as either the hanyou or their alpha.

Yes, the miko confirmed to herself – she was good where she was, as a normal pack member - if their disparate group of friends could be considered normal in any way - and with the lessons in youkai culture she had already had, she was also heartened by the meaning of them all accepting each other as pack.  
It wasn't family, but it was just as good, she realized - they were travelling, eating, learning and fighting side by side, even if she wasn't ready yet to bath naked in front of InuYasha like Tsukiko did without a second thought; and they had all grown to mean a lot to each other far faster than she'd thought possible...


	7. Game On 30 VI Lie Weaver

I'm back! Finally!

Like I had warned before, I didn't have time to write those last few month as I've bought a house with my fiance! And there was a lot of work to do before we could live in the house... And there's still a lot of work to be done, but I haven't stopped working at it since three months, so I needed a pause... And decided that writing abit was a good way of relaxing... So that what I've been doing for the past three days ^_^

Be warned that the work isn't done in my house, so I still won't be regular on the update, but I do try.

Regarding the story: I've made quite a change to the story, but in all honesty this was a choice that had to be made given Tsukiko's background as Death's sister.  
And of course: thanks to all that encourage me with their review, or point out misspelling (yes naginata, I've changed it ^_^) and I hope you'll enjoy the chapter

* * *

 **Chapter 6. August 1996 Lie Weaver**

Both Tsukiko and InuYasha had felt the youki first.  
It wasn't very powerful, so neither were all that worried, but the hanyou still went out with Kagome to be ready for a fight, while Tsukiko hanged back near Kaede's hut in order to protect a Shippou still on bed rest for two more days.  
The attack was swift, and surprisingly not aimed at the young miko and her shards they realized, rushing to a small shrine at the village's border – by the time they had reached the youkai, who looked like an old woman with a scythe, she already had what she'd came for and was running away.

Kaede arrived within moments, out of breath and looking alarmed "This was Kikyou-onee-sama's shrine!" she quickly realized, approaching the ruins to confirm her fears "Her bones, and some of her burial ground were taken..."  
"Is it bad?" Kagome wondered  
"It is." Tsukiko confirmed, as they had made their way back to the hut "From what I saw, this was a hag, they are good at necromancy..."

"She could try to revive onee-sama as one of her undead servants." nodded Kaede  
"We've got to do something then!" Kagome affirmed, eyes widening  
"It doesn't have anything to do with the shard, though." InuYasha pointed out – but he was protesting a lot less than he would have when they first met, the miko knew, and more by habit than by real want to avoid helping

"Wasn't Kikyou the former guardian of the Shikon no Tama?" contradicted said miko "It may well have everything to do with our hunt!"  
"Then, let's go!"  
All were stunned to realize it was their youngest member that had stated that with quiet confidence.  
"You're still not completely healed." InuYasha abruptly reminded him "You'd only slow us down."

"I can ride Padfoot with Kagome-chan," the kitsune contradicted "And it's not I'll always have the luxury to be completely healed, is it?"  
"I'm coming too."  
"It won't exactly be a safe travel, Kaede-obaa-sama."  
"I know, but this is my sister we're talking about." the old woman affirmed firmly "It is my duty."  
Well – there was nothing more to add to that, all of them realized.

"Let's go, then." Tsukiko nodded

The pack was ready to move out within minutes – Kaede was ridding Padfoot with Kagome, while Shippou was borrowing a ride on Tsukiko's shoulder – and they were soon chasing the hag down, the alpha and her beta heading the grouping and tracking the thieving youkai.  
"InuYasha," Kaede asked as they rushed through the country "can you tell us what really happened between you and Kikyou-onee-sama, fifty years ago?"  
"Tchh. I don't see why you care."  
"Because if we're going to see her again soon, it may be in our favor to know."  
The hanyou grumbled a bit more – but even he could see the wisdom in this, and eventually he started talking, about a past long gone...

¤.¤.¤

 **(flashback start)**

Kikyou was the perfect priestess, always compassionate toward the sick, calm and composed – and protecting without fail the Shikon no Tame from all the youkai that tried to get their paws on it on a daily basis.  
InuYasha was but one of numerous attempts – except he never really tried to kill her, and she in return never did kill him either. He wanted the jewel in order to become a full youkai, but he didn't have to kill it's guardian for that.  
Except that said guardian was skilled, and each new tentative to get his claws on the Shikon no Tama was met with failure.

Eventually, it became a matter of habit, until the day she talked to him.

"Do you see me as a human?"  
The question had thrown the hanyou out from a loop – but the miko following words quickly explained her question to him...  
"I can't show any weakness, nor be indecisive, or youkai would take advantage of it. I'm human, yet not allowed to be one..."  
Her next affirmation was even more surprising.  
"In a way, we're a bit alike you and I... The hanyou and the inhuman priestess... this is why I haven't killed you."

This was the day he'd fell in love with Kikyou, InuYasha realized later.

And one day, during their talk, she'd dropped the idea "If you used the Shikon no Tama to become human, it would be purified, and I would be free."  
They could have a life together, she hadn't said – but he clearly heard the longing in her words...

And so, they agreed to meet, on the next day – only this time, she would bring the jewel, and he would wish on it.

 **(flashback end)**

"You were going to become human?" Tsukiko's voice was carefully neutral, Kagome noted – and she herself was surprised at the proclamation  
"It was just a spur of the moment decision!" the hanyou defended himself – before adding, voice bitter "Beside it's not like it matters anyway. It was a trap. She had never intended to give me the jewel. When I went to the promised place, she immediately attacked."  
This – was strange, Kagome realize. Even without having known the priestess, this didn't make any sense. If Kikyou merely wanted to kill InuYasha, she could have done so long ago, without wasting her time with a convoluted scheme...

"The rest you know," InuYasha concluded at Kaede "I escaped her attempt, attacked the village and seized the jewel. Then Kikyou tracked me down, and I was sealed to the Goshinboku."  
"It doesn't make sense." Kaede whispered softly – and she was heard by all "Kikyou-onee-sama wasn't someone who deceived people, not even youkai..."  
"There is something fishy in this." Tsukiko confirmed, unknowingly echoing Kagome's doubts "She didn't need such elaborate trap, who jeopardized all the village, when she could have gotten rid of you from the start, oji-san."  
"Well, it's not like I know what was in her head, is it?" he retorted with his usual snark – but all the pack could read in his eyes that doubts had been planted, and that he too was starting to wonder

Still – Kagome was somewhat satisfied to be proved that she had been right from the start: InuYasha had been praising the dead miko too much for them to simply be enemies...  
Of course, the miko was too kind not to feel sorry for the hanyou – because she knew by now how difficult it was for her beta to trust anyone, and he had put his trust in Kikyou, only to end up nailed to a tree for fifty years of slumber.

The last part of their trailing was made in somber silence, all of them lost in their thoughts – then, their way was barred by an old rope and wood bridge crawling with warriors. This time, neither Kagome nor InuYasha had to be told to extend their senses...  
"These things reek of death!" the hanyou protested first  
"Clay bodies." the miko soon confirmed, naginata in hands

While they were prompt to start fighting back against the undead warriors, who weren't all that strong – they were numerous, and the narrow bridge wasn't a good place to pick a fight, Kagome soon forced to switch her weapon back to its smaller form, even InuYasha's Tessaiga too large for the fragile structure.  
Of course, it was as they were starting to feel the strain of fighting at a disadvantage that the hag reappeared, floating a few second above them before her eyes singled out Kagome.  
The next moment, she was cutting the bridge in two with her large scythe, sending all tumbling in the air and snatching Kagome in the same movement.  
Shippou, who had left Tsukiko's shoulder during the fight, was caught by InuYasha, while Padfoot managed to save Kaede, and they were soon touching the ground several dozen meters below, none for the worse if for the temporary fright at loosing the ground under their feet.

"That bitch!"  
InuYasha and Kaede were both surprised to hear such loathing in the young ookami – but she was already rushing thought the river and toward the top of the cliff toward where her friend had been abducted "What is wrong with youkai and humans in this era?" she was growling, nearly slipping into canine language  
They hadn't time to ask what she meant by this – they had reached the top of the cliff, where a small hut was propped, a large baking oven near it; and Kagome was there, tied and having been unceremoniously dropped in a large cauldron filled with herbs and water – and a large reiki barrier around her, much to the hag's rage.  
"You won't be able to resist eternally girl! Soon, your soul will be cut from your body and free to get into another vessel!"

That was when InuYasha saw the body sat by the cauldron's side, in miko clothing – a familiar face, but empty eyes and a body that looked like a puppet without strings...  
He opened his mouth, ready to call out the familiar name – yet he could see that for now it was but an empty receptacle, and if even days before his first reflex would have been to rush and tempest about the situation, right now he couldn't.  
Because the hanyou was now a beta, sworn to protect his pack, and instincts attuned to them – and the young miko under his protection was visibly suffering from whatever the hag was doing to her with her potions and spells, and his alpha was trembling with barely restrained fury, power nearly dizzying by its intensity twirling violently around her.

Something had triggered the young youkai hime, for the second time since he'd known her, and once more she wasn't going to stand back, he realized. So he turned toward the young priestess, forcing his eyes away from the troubling image of his first and only love "Don't let that barrier down Kagome, we're kicking this old hag's ass and getting you out of this soup!"  
The young miko let out the small smile, not able to hide that whatever she was fighting against was painful, a large aura swirling around her and barely restrained by her barrier. As if his words had helped her, the barrier gained in intensity – but it was that moment Kaede chose to speak, having at last seen the soulless miko by their friend's side.

 _"Don't!"_

InuYasha could have sworn he'd heard her voice, tensed and panicked, a moment before her name was pronounced...  
"Kiykou-onee-sama!"  
It was as if the aura around Kagome had suddenly gained a life of it's own, and the girl let out a heart-wrenching cry, just as the barrier around her cracked, and fell.  
"What is this..." the hanyou could only whisper as the large aura left the now unconscious body of Kagome to rush toward Kikyou

¤.¤.¤

"This,"Tsukiko said, "Is a soul far larger than any human should have."  
Her voice was strange, the hanyou realized, echoing with alien and untold power, and sounding unnaturally detached from the situation, and suddenly he wondered what he would see should her turn toward his niece...

Now Kikyou was getting on her feet with the natural grace she had always had – but when her eyes opened, they were burning with hate "How dare you raise me!" she said, voice breaking from sorrow and reiki alight around her hands, ready to strike at the hag  
The newly revived miko wasn't given the time to do anything, as the hag was already dead on the floor, so swiftly no one had even had the time to see Tsukiko's katana get out of its sheath – but no one had missed the overwhelming feeling of reiki, nor the the way the body on the ground was crumbling into dust under their eyes...  
"Well, now that the eyesore is taken care of..." Tsukiko turned toward Kikyou "Your turn."

"Why would a holy one like you work with this traitor?" the priestess protested, clearly thorn between incomprehension and fury – and the way she was addressing his alpha didn't escape InuYasha's notice this time; nor did her accusation

"You are the one who betrayed me!" he protested, suspicions rising again, but indignation stronger  
"You lie! I gave up the last of my strength to seal you to that tree after you attacked me and stole the Shikon no Tama!"  
"That's not what happened! You are the one who drew me in a trap instead of keeping our agreement!"  
"Please! Kikyou-onee-sama, it's me, your sister Kaede! Hear me out!" Kaede pleaded, trying to calm the newly raised miko  
"Why would you side with him too?"  
"You have both been tricked!"

At that, the revived miko looked to consider the situation, but anger was quickly taking back the upper hand "No! Whatever truly happened, it's too late!" she shouted, tears in her eyes "Because I died hating you, as long as you live I cannot get over this hatred and move on!"  
"Well," Tsukiko voice reminded them of her presence – how they had manage to forget, with the feeling of her power, they wouldn't know "you've had your chance." this was clearly aimed at Kikyou  
"What do you mean?"  
"I gave you a chance to voluntarily go back to your proper place in the reincarnation system out of respect for a holy servant who did her duty most of her life..." the ookami stated coolly "But in the end, you failed to respect the natural circle, and are clinging to a cursed life given by a necromancer..."

"And who are you to judge me?"  
"Are you that blinded by rage that you can't even tell something any dead soul would know?"  
"I'm not dead any longer!"  
There wasn't any step taken, and yet, Tsukiko was suddenly nearly nose-to-nose with the resurrected priestess "Make no mistake, dead soul, you've had your life, and passed on, too early, maybe, but you still passed on and went back to the reincarnation circle. What you are right now is a fake body of clay, and a parasite stealing the life of a living girl who still have her life to live and her destiny to complete! A destiny **you** failed to complete!"  
"What are you talking about?" a bewildered Kikyou asked, clearly unsettled by the power she was feeling

"Wishing InuYasha into humanity?" this time, there was no longer any careful neutrality – but clear loathing "From oji-san it was alright, he didn't know any better... But _you_? The guardian of the Shikon no Tama? You better than anyone else knew that a selfish wish wouldn't destroy the jewel!"  
"It wasn't..."  
"How was wishing for an easier life not selfish, girl? How was wishing for someone to lose the very nature of his being just for him to conform to your standards not selfish? Or wasn't a hanyou good enough for you?"  
"I loved InuYasha!"  
"And yet you'd have him turned human, and loose half of himself, rather than find a way for the two of you to be together. Were you so eager to get rid of your burden?"

InuYasha should be furious – he really should be, he mused – but right now, he was by an impossible to wake up Kagome, realizing that while he would have loved to have Kikyou back... that would mean condemning Kagome, who was pack, and pack didn't just sacrifice each other, and his senses, so much better now than they had been before, were screaming at him that the miko wasn't really resurrected, but just a construct, just like his alpha was saying – a stolen soul trapped into a body crafted by a malevolent hag...  
But the worst was probably the cutting accusations that Tsukiko was aiming at his first love.

Because in a way, he could hear a truth in them – oh he didn't doubt any longer that Kikyou had truly loved him, and that both had been tricked by some unknown third party – but Kikyou had asked him to become human, where neither Kagome nor Tsukiko had ever said anything against the fact that he was hanyou; and it maybe because they both were raised in a different era, it didn't erase the fact that they had both been more accepting of his nature than his own lover.

So he dragged his eyes away from Kikyou, toward the soulless husk in his arms "Oy! Wake up, idiotic girl, our alpha is getting all annoyed about your nap!"  
Maybe it was stupid – but there wasn't a lot more he could do apart from taunting – and against all logic, the body in his arms shuddered...  
And a few meters away, Kikyou fell to her knees, as the aura from earlier escaped from her body to get back into Kagome's...  
"No!"  
The undead miko tried to flee, realizing that if she stayed all her soul would get back to the living body it had just emptied – but Tsukiko was negligently in her way, freezing her to her spot, and now that she was nearly gone once more, she realized who this was, and how foolish she had been to try and escape...  
And so, she stopped her struggles, bowing her head toward the woman she had finally recognized and ready to bore the might of her anger.

"InuYasha and you were dealt a bad hand," Kikyou raised her head, surprised to hear the voice much kinder now that she had stopped struggling, and green eyes peering at her from the goddess who was now kneeling on the ground by her side "and while I don't know who tricked the both of you and caused you to die far too early, I know he probably also was the one who confused you enough to ever think that wishing humanity on oji-san would make the Shikon no Tama disappear..."

¤.¤.¤

Kikyou's eyes filled with comprehension and shame, as she finally accepted the harsh accusations from earlier, just as she was given absolution...  
"But your time is over, and your soul has moved on and right now all you're clinging on is a fragment distorted by anger and the necromancy used to raise you. Clinging to the Mortal Plane would only bring InuYasha and you more suffering, and go against what you lived for..."  
"I just don't want to be forgotten so soon..." the miko admitted brokenly, making InuYasha close his eyes in grief at the whispered words that tore anew at his heart

"And you won't be." Tsukiko promised, taking the miko's hands in her own, and gesturing toward the hanyou – who didn't see, as his eyes were closed

But the miko understood the message well-enough – and with Tsukiko's power touching her own soul, the anger was dimmed, and pushed back, and the echo of the love she had felt once upon a time was strong enough to soften her eyes.  
The goddess was right of course, InuYasha wouldn't forget her like that, despite everything that had happened "At least the hag rising me let us know about the treachery..." she sighed – then her eyes fell on the still unconscious body of Kagome, in InuYasha's arms, with a worried Shippou a few steps away "But you're right..." she added toward Tsukiko "I can't steal a life just for my own vengeance, and this poor girl have a hard task ahead... I just wish I could help..."  
"You will." Tsukiko promised as she felt the priestess releasing the hold she had on the last fragment of soul still in her, her powers mingling with it and guiding it back to Kagome

 _"Farewell InuYasha, I really did love you... So I won't ask of you to change anymore, but simply to be happy..."_  
The hanyou's eyes widened at the words, but a quick glance around him showed that only he, and maybe Tsukiko, had heard the untold words of Kikyou.

"Will Kagome-chan be alright?" a worried Shippou asked  
"It's difficult to say." Kaede answered with a frown a bit of sorrow at her sister's harsh fate lingering in her old eyes "The fact that her soul was awakened to it's previous state, then came back to her may have changed her."

"Don't worry." Tsukiko smiled serenely "Kagome will be alright, and Kikyou will have her wish too..."

 **[Hidden Quest Complete! The next great journey...**  
 _Kikyou learned of the lies that ended her life, and voluntarily gave back her soul to Kagome_  
 **Reward:** +100XP, all gains **A Miko's Blessing** (+10 to one Mystic Knowledge), Kagome gains **Unified Soul** Perk (Kikyou's knowledge was passed on to Kagome, +10 to all Mystic Knowledge)

 **[New life Quest! Lie's weaver...**  
 **Goal:** uncover what happened on the day InuYasha was sealed  
 **Reward:** +50XP per goal, +1 Pack mutation upon completion]  
 **[Goal complete!** +50XP  
 **Goal update:** find who manipulated Kikyou and InuYasha]

 **[Hunting Complete! Urasue the Hag**  
 **Reward:** +25XP, +1 Hunting Trophy]

 **[Level up!** Kagome is now level 65!  
+2CP, _+3SP]_  
 **[Level up!** InuYasha is now level 109!  
 _+1SP]_  
 **[Level up!** Shippou is now level 47!  
+2CP, +3 _SP]_

The pack and Kaede's return to Edo was subdued – while they had defeated the hag, and she would never again raise someone from the grave to turn them against their loved one, the fight didn't really feel like a victory.  
Kaede was once more mourning her sister – and worse InuYasha, who hadn't felt the passage of time while sealed, had been confronted with her lover, and learned that they had been set up to think they had betrayed each other. While the hanyou was thankful for that knowledge, as it meant Kikyou hadn't betrayed him, it hurt to realize that had they only known, a tragedy could have been avoided...

As they reached the village, Tsukiko paused, stretched, then grabbed her uncle by the collar under Kagome and Kaede's surprised eyes "We're going to soak a bit, we're covered in dust from those annoying warrior, and I can't stand the stench any longer!" she announced , not really leaving any choice to the hanyou, while Shippou was nodding, clearly agreeing with her affirmation – even Padfoot seemed keen on the idea as he nudged the young miko off his back

Kagome looked at the group heading toward the nearby hot spring – the existence of which she had learned only after suffering thought several bath in the ice cold river – with a smile.  
While her upbringing was too ingrained for her to be ready to share a bath as pack as Tsukiko could so casually, she understood that right now the bonding experience as pack may well be what the hanyou needed.  
With a sigh, she followed Kaede toward her hut – she'd settle for the river, if only for today, as even without a youkai sharp senses, she still felt dirty from the impromptu sojourn in the hag's cauldron...

A couple hours later, the pack was together once more, gathered in a clearing not too far from the hot spring, Tsukiko coaching Shippou through some new moves with his tanto, while InuYasha was napping on a branch nearby, ears twitching from time to time as he kept watch as the same time. Kagome, sprawled in the grass, was meditating, trying to learn to call her powers without the help of her weapon.

Finally done with her training for the day, the miko stretched a bit and called the hanyou down, taking her hairbrush out of her **Inventory** with a thought – while she may never be comfortable enough to share a bath with all the pack, there were other ways to bond with them she knew, thanks to Tsukiko's lessons.  
InuYasha barely protested before letting her attack his clean hair, and was soon relaxing under the gentle touch – and Kagome noted with an amused smile that Shippou, having seen them, was now tugging on Tsukiko's sleeve, intent clear. The alpha smiled indulgently, and within moments was seated by her childhood friend's side, combing their youngest' hair and playing with the light locks.

* * *

¤.¤.¤

* * *

The pack spent a few more days in Edo, and if InuYasha's mood was a bit darker than was usual, none of them remarked on it, letting him mourn in peace.  
And the hanyou decided to mourn in the only way he knew, by becoming stronger – as such, he announced on evening "We should stay a few more days."  
Kagome raised an eyebrow, surprised at the affirmation, and the beta explained "This," a window appeared in the air, with a Challenge on it "We should be able to do it."  
"Why, though?" Shippou asked – they had decided to be wary of challenge after all, since they were more dangerous than arena fight

"It would raise the pack level. And the second level bonus is something we really need."  
They turned their eyes to said bonus description – a +5 raise in spiritual resistance that could eventually be raised to +25, which wasn't useless but not ground-breaking either...  
"Read all the description." teased Tsukiko, clearly having seen Shippou and Kagome's reservations on their faces "The bonus will make us consider all our pack-mates powers as friendly..."  
The kit's eyes widened, as he turned toward Kagome, who was coming to the same revelation – because she was the only full human, and with powers well-known to hurt youkai, she couldn't train with her reiki against her friends just yet, not having enough control over it in order not to hurt them...  
InuYasha was right, they needed this!  
"So, what's the challenge?" Shippou asked, while already reading the description "Three Boss fights back to back?" a groan "This isn't going to be easy..."  
"Well, it's a Challenge." commented Kagome in a lighthearted tone, before turning toward InuYasha and Tsukiko "Let's do this then!"  
With that, the pack accepted the challenge – and their surroundings faded, soon replaced by a large arena, with a few places to take cover and traps laid around

"Wow, even the fighting ground has been enhanced..." Shippou noticed with a wince, Kiba slipping in his small hands "So, who's this?" he added, pointing at the figure that was materializing slowly on the other side of the arena  
"Voldemort." Tsukiko recognized easily "First War Voldemort," she precised, as there were several incarnation of the man in the Boss list "Powerful wizard, at this point of his life he had tone of brute power but also quite a lot of finesse. Like most wizard, he's a long range fighter. Good news is, as a damage dealer he doesn't have lot of HP. Bad news is, he deals plenty of damage to compensate."  
They shared a wince – while Tsukiko and Kagome had some knowledge of kyudo, the group main focus clearly laid in close range.

"Well, I guess we'll do this the hard way then." commented Tsukiko "InuYasha, you'll attack first to grab his attention, and we'll circle him to hit hard and fast while you keep him occupied."  
The hanyou nodded – where he would have loudly bragged about not needing their help before, Kagome noted with a fond smile – and the fight was on.  
Fighting a wizard, they soon found out, was both hard and surprisingly easy.

Hard, because this type of long-range opponent was the worse they could have been slatted against, the fact the spell he used were unknown to all but Tsukiko meant they were fighting blind – even if the wolf princess did manage to explain most of the attack as shortly as she could as they were fighting.  
Hard too, because the man was quite evidently intelligent, a seasoned warrior that knew how to use the battlefield around him and was used to be outnumbered.  
But easy too, because as a wizard, Voldemort had a crippling weakness - he wasn't used to fight against weapon users, and while he did adapt soon enough, they too were the worst kind of adversary for him.  
The arrogance strong wizards tended to develop made them shield against attack, rather than evade – but a weapon wasn't shielded against in the same way as a spell, and this proved to be his weak point, since with limited HP he had, he couldn't afford to take too many attacks.

As soon as the pack realized he could shield against only one weapon at a time, their strategy was confirmed – and they timed their attack to land nearly at the same time, preventing him from avoiding them all and taking nearly a quart of his HP in one combined attack.  
After that it was only a matter of managing the same pattern two more times before his HP bar dropped into the red.

The last hit, to their surprised, was inflicted by a new arrivant – a tall, heavily scarred man with angry Flames dancing around him, who dropped Voldemort with one powerful fist before turning toward them, grunting  
"'Tch. More trash."

 **[Goal update:** Defeat three Bosses back to back in the Arena **(1/3)** ]

"Xanxus," Tsukiko identified for them "the elite assassination squad Varia's Boss. A violent assassin who uses both long and short range attacks. This is a bruiser, he's got nearly three times Voldemort HP count, but his attack, while powerful, aren't as crippling as long as you don't take too many."  
Once more, the pack nodded, acknowledging the description and relaxing ever so slightly – this was an enemy they were better fitted to fight.  
Of course that didn't mean they could take it easy – a second fight right after the first one wasn't an easy feat by any mean, and they were all keenly aware of the increasing risk of making beginner mistakes with the weariness that was creeping on them.

Xanxus was a very different fighter from Voldemort – while both were master of the battlefield, one had been master of his emotions, cold and calculating, the other was fury and fire incarnate, lashing out with everything he had.  
In other words, Xanxus was the same kind of fighter as InuYasha.

The fight had been far longer than the one against Voldemort, by virtue of their second enemy having far more HP, and the uncanny ability to dodge strikes that should have connected – for a human, the Varia leader had nearly youkai like instincts, which made Tsukiko wonder if the man hadn't had youkai ancestry, just like her Cloud Guardian in her life as Kazami Sawada had had.  
A question she wouldn't have the answer to, as she had killed the man a long time ago – or rather, would kill him in a few year, but she wasn't really suppose to meddle with lives she'd already lived through.  
Still, as Xanxus HP bar finally dropped into the red, and the nearly beast like man was finished of by their third adversary, all of the small pack could feel the exertion, and Tsukiko wasn't happy to identify their last opponent...

 **[Goal update:** Defeat three Bosses back to back in the Arena **(2/3)** ]

"This is Pride, one of the nine quasi immortals I met in my third life." she explained as they all jumped out of the lashing out shadows "Chaos Game has translated this by giving him a very high HP regeneration rate."  
"In other words we've got hit him hard and fast." InuYasha summed up  
Tsukiko nodded, and KageShin in her hands started to resonate with power, shadows swirling around it ominously.  
Understanding what she meant for them to do, Kagome and Shippou shared an unsure glance – this they had never done in a fight after all – but hardening their resolve, they called their powers too, focusing on their weapon.  
Even if InuYasha, who tended to do it naturally ever since Tsukiko had explained it, made it seem easy – focusing power into a weapon's strike was anything but easy, and beyond calling their powers to the weapon itself, imbuing it with their own youki or reiki, neither the young kit nor the miko had ever managed this in a fight, even if they had trained to do it.

But neither the hanyou nor his niece seemed to hold any doubt in their abilities, both grinning wildly before jumping toward the ever moving shadows, nimbly avoiding them to try and strike at the body of the enemy itself, rather than his strange powers.  
Of course, there were far too many shadows for them to manage completely – but between Tsukiko and InuYasha's unrelenting attack, the shadows were soon forced to draw back nearer to the boy's body to protect him rather than attack – and with that, gave an opening for Shippou and Kagome, who jumped in, aiming at Pride directly while he was still defending against their alpha and her beta...

 **[Challenge Complete! Three time's the charm...**  
 **Goal complete!** +25XP  
First War Voldemort beaten! +25XP  
Varia's Leader beaten! +25XP  
Pride beaten! +25XP  
 **Reward:** Pack XP doubled until the next Pack level]

 **[Pack level up!** Shadow Pack is now level 2!]

 **[Level up!** Kagome is now level 65!  
 _+1SP]_  
 **[Level up!** Shippou is now level 51!  
 _+3SP, +2CP, +1PP]_  
 **[Level up!** InuYasha is now level 110!  
 _+1SP]_  
[Shippou is now Two-Tailed!  
 **Two-Tail Perks**  
 **\- Changeling:** you can change your form to anything you can think of with enough training, unlocks **Shape-shifting** as a fast learning skill (inherited from mother)  
\- **Marauder** : you have a unique ability with illusions, unlocks **True** **Illusions** as a fast learning skill (inherited as a Kitsune)  
 **\- Sun Child:** unlocks **Light** **Manipulation** as a fast growing skill (inherited from father)]

 _available: 1]_

The young kit stared a bit dumbly at the multiple notifications, still not quite believing it – before cautiously confirming the **Changeling** tail-perk, remembering how his mother used to amuse him with it when he was young, and she was still alive.  
And with a wave of youki, he felt before he saw the two-tails he was now sporting, still hardly believing it.

To know that Kagome was already strong as a two-tail, or InuYasha and Tsukiko were both three-tailed was one thing – to realize that he, small, young, scaredy-cat Shippou was a two-tail was another! For a moment, he wished his parents could be there to see it – but he soon pushed the melancholy aside, and instead jumped enthusiastically in the ookami hime's arms and let himself be showered in praised by his new pack.

* * *

¤.¤.¤

* * *

Challenge complete, they had spent a further two days getting used to the feel of mingling their powers in and out of a fight, and furthering their fighting strategies now that they didn't have to worry about inadvertently harm each other with their opposite spiritual powers – after all youki used right could be just as dangerous for a human as reiki was for a youkai...  
Shippou had also started training his new powers, and Tsukiko had been impressed to see that the kit seemed to have a knack for shape-shifting, learning very fast to take on completely different form – even if the result were far from perfect – she remembered spending month training only to change her hair and eyes when she had started training her Metamorph ability, which was the closest to his new ability...

Then once more they were on the road, heading toward the latest rumors of bloodshed and chaos – numerous and bloody battle in this era could be just normal, given the era, but with luck, it could be the work of a Shikon Shard...  
"Kyah! Hot spring!"  
Tsukiko laughed at the childish enthusiasm her miko friend demonstrated each time they neared the naturally hot water, but didn't waste any time in following her in.  
"Don't go to far," she warned nevertheless – there was a priest or monk bathing out there, but with the heavy rocks making a nearly natural wall it should be alright  
Keeping a part of her senses trailed on the previous occupant of the hot springs in case he decided to come nearer, she let herself sink into the water – while she wasn't as tired as Kagome, who wasn't yet used to the long days spent walking, getting rid of the grime of the road was always welcomed.

It was a few minutes into their bath that she felt a spike of interest, as the holy servant finally realized their presence – and her **Soul** **Sense** soon realized that it wasn't only the fact there were two naked woman nearby that had spiked his interest...  
"Say, Kagome-chan," she asked her friend, her own reiki already focusing "Do you feel anything nearby?"  
Surprised at the question, but used to Tsukiko prompting her like that from time to time, the young miko in training closed her eyes – then opened them back in surprise "Eh! Shikon shards! I hadn't felt them because they were so close! Also... They aren't corrupted by youki at all!"  
Tsukiko nodded, satisfied to have her suspicions confirmed – as for InuYasha, at the loud proclamation, he'd rushed toward them... Or rather toward the priest still hidden behind the rocks...

With a loud shriek, and a peeved " **Osuwari**!" the hanyou was crashing in the water.  
"What do you think you're doing, baka-inu?" protested a blushing Kagome, hiding herself in the water  
"Tch. You said they were shards!" answered the beta, considering himself in the right  
"Untainted shards possessed by the holy servant spying on us from the other side of the wall," Tsukiko confirmed calmly, "But well he was here first..."  
"Why didn't you say anything?" Kagome wondered  
"Well as long as he wasn't coming toward us." the wolf youkai shrugged "It's not as if the spring belongs to anyone."

"That doesn't have anything to do with the shards!" InuYasha reminded the two girls, peeved to be dripping wet in his haori and dismissed so easily  
"Well it's not like we can just beat him up and steal them," pointed Kagome "he's not a mad youkai!"  
Looking at his dubious expression, it was clear InuYasha was ready to do just that – but then again, the hanyou had spent most of his life fighting to survive, so it wasn't that surprising...  
"Why don't we speak about this once we're out of the water?" sighed Kagome, before adding toward the rocks "We've got meat on the fire."

Tsukiko laughed at the gurgle the man's stomach emitted at that information, low enough that a human wouldn't hear – but then again loud enough that all the youkai of the pack heard it. Kagome was soon out of the water, while InuYasha was taking advantage of the fact he was already wet to bath too – as for Shippou, he hadn't left the nearby clearing where they'd made their camp, not wanting to leave their bedding and supper unattended.  
Tsukiko, dressing herself with a thought and the help of the _Wardrobe_ _System_ , made her way toward the other side of the hot spring.

"Thanks for the invitation." the man said before his eyes widened "You're..."  
The princess had to repress a snort "Wow, you're quite a lecher for a holy servant if you hadn't even realized I was a youkai before..."  
"I'm an admirer of all female form!" the man protested hotly – if such an unashamed confirmation could be constructed as a protest  
"You're quite open-minded, houshi-sama." she praised, amused at the comment – and now identifying his chosen profession thanks to the hakushou by his side  
"A servant of Buddha shouldn't discriminate." the man answered easily as they walked toward the pack's camp "I've got nothing against youkai as long as they aren't harming innocents."  
"Wise enough." nodded Tsukiko "But a philosophy most don't adhere to in these days and age."

"Which is why it's so surprising to see your traveling companions."  
"Two youkai a hanyou and a miko..." Kagome commented as they arrived "I guess our pack is unusual in these parts." she admitted, amused – after all they wouldn't have warranted a second look in Tokyo's magical district, from what she'd seen the one time she'd been there  
The priest noted the miko's choice of word, but didn't comment on it, instead choosing to introduce himself now that all were present "I'm Miroku, a traveling houshi who helps people in need and exorcise spirits."  
"I'm Kagome!" the young girl answered with a smile "I'm a miko in training! This is Tsukiko-chan, our alpha! She's a Huntress! InuYasha is our beta, and Shippou-chan is learning to fight with as we travel!"

"And you are gathering the Shikon shards." the priest commented – voice light, but eyes sharp "Yet I don't see any of you needing anymore power," at that his eyes slided toward the three tails neatly curled at Tsukiko's feet, and even more surprising, the kit's two tails lazily waving in the air  
"We don't need this kind of tainted power." Shippou agreed easily, having seen more than enough about the cursed shards effects on youkai "But Kagome-chan must gather them, so we're helping!" he affirmed, proud to be a part of such an important task

The miko smiled indulgently at the young fox, who could still act quite childishly from time to time, for all that he'd had to mature too fast when loosing his family – then, seeing the houshi's attention turn toward her "I'm the guardian of the Shikon no Tama." she looked guiltily at the few shards around her neck "Not a very good one, since I let it be stolen and broken, but it's guardian all the same... And so I'll gather the shards back and ensure that it's never used by evil ever again."  
"An ambitious plan." couldn't help but remark the priest "Especially if you already lost it once."  
"Well try to protect something you didn't even know you had!" Shippou retorted, having heard about Kagome's first fall into the well and not liking anyone mocking his pack

The man was surprised at the affirmation, but didn't ask about it, instead explaining "Still, I'm afraid I can't give you my shards."  
"Why?" the wolf hime wondered, guessing by the feeling the man was unknowingly broadcasting at her that there was more to the story "After all, these things are of no use to you, and you'll have all the youkai who've got an ounce of evil in them after you..."  
"That's precisely why I must hunt those." Miroku affirmed – then, seeing the travelers clearly didn't find the explanation enough "I'm hunting a youkai whom I'll know will go after the shards. As long as I have them, I'll find him eventually."  
"Why are you hunting this youkai?" Shippou asked "Is he a bad guy?"  
"He is." the priest confirmed, a bit amused at the kit simple-minded question

"Does he have anything to do with that nasty curse of yours?" Tsukiko added, eyes on the praying beads curled around Miroku's right hand  
The surprise around her was general – from the priest himself, who didn't think anyone could feel his curse, as from her pack, who hadn't felt what was evident for her. Of course, it wasn't as if they had the esoteric sense that came with being a goddess such as her _Soul_ and _Blood_ _Senses..._  
Finally, Miroku nodded "I don't know how you know that..." he eyed her suspiciously "And hadn't you been traveling with a miko, I'd been tempted to think you're the one I'm after..." Tsukiko didn't react at the veiled threat, but InuYasha bristled by her side "Still, you're right."  
"So the youkai you're after cursed you?" Kagome asked "Is it why you're hunting him?"  
"It is. Because if I don't kill him, this curse will kill me eventually..."  
"What kind of youkai is it?"  
"As to that..." a sigh "I don't know."

Seeing the disbelieving stares around him, Miroku served himself a second serving of the dinner they'd shared with him, and explained the origin of his curse.  
Or rather, the curse of his grand-father Miyatsu, a powerful monk, who had been tracking and battling regularly against a youkai rumored to be searching for the Shikon no Tama.  
The problem was – this youkai could steal human's appearance, and each time they met, wore a different face...  
And one day, the youkai stole the looks of a beautiful hime.

¤.¤.¤

"Don't tell me," Kagome interrupted, guessing easily enough at the dreamy look on the houshi's face "He was a pervert just like you."  
"Ojii-sama was an admire of the feminine beauty just like me." Miroku confirmed, making the pack sweat-drop "And so, unprepared for the attack that came, he didn't manage to dodge." a glance toward his hand "Both his sutra to ward off evil and his hand were pierced... And the curse was set."  
This time, he was more talking to himself than to them as he nearly whispered "In place of the wound, a kazaana had been ripped open, sucking everything in it as long as it's not covered, growing larger year after year and use after use..."  
"Eventually taking it's owner's life." Tsukiko completed the unfinished sentence, making the priest nod his assent before continuing

"Only to appear on the next one in the family. The curse took my grand-father's life, and was passed on to my father, then to me as he too was taken by the wind..."  
In Kagome's wide eyes, her empathy toward the man could be clearly read, and the pack, who knew InuYasha, could see that even him wasn't left indifferent by the story.  
"So this is why, when I heard the Shikon no Tama had been broken, and the shards scattered across the country, I knew I had to gather them... Because sooner or latter, Naraku will come after them and I'll have my chance to kill him, and get rid of this curse!" he affirmed, eyes firm with resolve "And he will come, of that I don't doubt. After all, he's already killed the Shikon Miko once, fifty years ago." he warned Kagome

This affirmation took all the pack by surprise, as soon all of them were making the same connection...  
"A youkai that can steal face..." Kagome was by InuYasha's side in a moment, seeing him trembling in rage  
The packs soothing presence around him kept him from giving in to the burning feeling that was threatening from taking him over "He's the bastard that set Kikyou and me up." the hanyou whispered in agreement to the unspoken revelation, fury in his words

"Then we'll hunt him." Tsukiko promised, voice icy  
"We will." Shippou nodded too, hands resting on FuurinKiba "Just like we avenged father."  
"After all," Kagome added tone lighter than she really felt – this was after all a youkai who'd managed to fool the far more experimented Kikyou "With these," she pointed at the shards around her neck "we'll cross path one day or the other."  
In the wake of the realization they had just had, none of them really gave any attention to the familiar green words that had appeared after Miroku's tale...

 **[Goal complete!** +50XP  
 **Goal update:** learn about Naraku's origin]

 **[Level up!** Shippou is now level 52!  
 _+1SP]_

Miroku was taken aback by the sudden intensity of small group of travelers – then understood in the few words that were spoken that they too were now set on hunting his old nemesis.

Usually, the priest tended to travel alone, preferring not to create any lasting bond with other people when his life expectancy was so short – but this group, no this pack, was different.  
Not only for the powerful and pure, if mostly untrained, reiki he could feel coming from the young miko, but also for the unusual unity they were revealing without a second though and the easy acceptance with which they had all become set on their new goal all for the sake of one of their own...  
These people, the cursed houshi reflected with a small pang of loneliness, he wouldn't mind getting to know better.

"Why don't you give it a chance?" Miroku turned toward the young ookami, who smiled serenely, as if she'd read his thoughts "We look to be heading the same way, just travel with us for a while to see if you like it or if you prefer making your own way alone. After all, since we're all after the shards and Naraku, we'll probably still meet quite often so it's a chance to get to know each other better."  
"Tsuki-chan is right." Kagome confirmed with a smile "The more the merrier."  
"As long as he doesn't get in our way..." shrugged a disgruntled InuYasha – inwardly a bit awed with the easy acceptance the two childhood friends shared, the same acceptance that made them into a pack

Shippou peeked curiously at the young man from behind his plate, the young but perceptive fox reading the hesitance, and the longing, in the houshi's eyes. The human may be a bit of a pervert – and hadn't even tried to deny it – but he didn't seem like a bad guy.  
"You shouldn't be afraid to have friends and family because of this Naraku guy." he said knowingly, thinking about how he'd tried to take on the Thunder brothers alone "It's making you sad, and making him win."  
Miroku's eyes widened at the affirmation – and with it, his last hesitation disappeared and he smiled "You're right." bowing "Please take care of me, for I'll be traveling with you for awhile."

 **[Hidden Quest Complete! Gathering allies...**  
 _you managed to interest Miroku enough that he's willing to travel with you_  
 **Reward:** +100XP, **A** **Houshi's** **Companionship** Perk unlocked (+10 to one Awareness Skill)]

 **[Level up!** You are now level 137!  
 _+1SP]_  
 **[Level!** Kagome is now level 68!  
 _+2SP]_  
 **[Level up!** InuYasha is now level 111!  
 _+1SP]_  
 **[Level up!** Shippou is now level 54!  
 _+2SP]_  
 **[Level up!** Miroku is now level 28!  
 _+7SP, +2CP]_

The pack shared surprised glance – they hadn't expected their new traveling companion to be included in the numerous level up caused by the hidden quest but seeing as Tsukiko didn't seem surprised, nor worried, they guessed it didn't matter right now...

And sure enough, the answer came a few moments later via the Communication System, the hime reminding them that even Souta had leveled up when caught up in a fight with them. While neither Kagome's brother nor the young houshi were chosen by Fate like the miko was, each was a holy servant, and as such favored by the gods – their powers were sufficiently compatible with Chaos Game that it helped them as long as they were around one of the Game's main player...  
"Now that you all know my story, I have a request for you."

Tsukiko eyed suspiciously the young man, whose aura felt a lot lighter than when sharing his story as he was suddenly by Kagome's side. Her friend was visibly of the same mind, as she answered hesitantly "Yes?"  
"Please bear my child!"  
"Eh!"  
"If misfortune fell on me, and I couldn't manage to off Naraku, it is essential that the duty be passed on to a child of my blood!"

"Get away from Kagome!" finally shouted InuYasha, swiftly removing the stunned girl from the lecher's arms  
"Oh I see." he nodded "I hadn't realized it was like this."  
"What the heck is he saying?" wondered the hanyou, somehow sure it would be something stupid  
"I hadn't realized InuYasha was in love Kagome. I'm sorry!"  
"She's pack!" the hanyou protested a bit too fast  
"You shouldn't hide from your feeling like that," the houshi admonished "It's not healthy."  
"It's you who wont be healthy for long if you insist on saying such idiocies!"

As the discussion went from serious to courtyard talk, Shippou turned toward his mentor "I've got nothing against them, but still... Humans are strange..."  
Tsukiko smiled at the kit, amused at the affirmation but explaining nonetheless "They seem strange to you because they tend to be able to change emotions a lot faster than us. Their adaptability is their greatest strength after all."

¤.¤.¤

The light mood in which they ended the day was soon forgotten the next day, as after a few hours a walking toward a castle where Miroku had apparently been asked to protect a local hime from some youkai kidnappers, they happened upon a large battlefield – or rather, a butchery.  
"All their bowels have been torn out," InuYasha remarked somberly as Miroku was praying for the poor souls  
"This is not the work of a low level youkai." the priest remarked, prayer done "Without a doubt, a shard must be at work here."  
"And this smell is strange..." added Shippou, nose wrinkled "There's ink mixed in the blood and gore!"

The group was soon back on the road again – the smell of ink that Shippou had identified leading them away from the bloody scene, and in the direction of the castle they were previously heading toward – something that didn't bode well for the hime Miroku had been asked to help...  
It was as they neared the small village neighboring the castle that they happened upon a few guards beating-up a small man with large, round eyes and his hair tied to the neck, wearing the usual writing tools of a scholar.  
Apparently the scene wasn't usual, judging from the mutter of the farmers around...

The man was a painter named Koutatsu, and it wasn't the first time he'd been caught staring at the princess passing by. Said princess was soon stopping the beating with a soft word, and carying on her way.  
The traveling companion shared a glance...  
"The fucker smells like blood and guts and ink." summed up InuYasha  
"But the hime is clearly touched by a curse and won't survive long." added Miroku, a frown on his face  
"Well, this guy seems to be after the princess, right?" pointed out Kagome "So if we help her we'll catch him."  
"And why can't we catch him now?" protested InuYasha

"Because collaterals."  
"Eh?"  
"To avoid innocents villagers getting caught in the fight."  
"Tch. Humans..." grumbled the hanyou – stomping nevertheless toward the castle where the hime was heading to  
An amused Miroku couldn't help but remark "He acts tough, but he really is kind isn't he?"  
Kagome smiled warmly at the priest "Wow, you saw through him really fast!"

"It's part of the job, Kagome-sama." he explained "As a houshi I've learned to guess a lot about people from what they say... And what they don't."  
"It's something you already do naturally." commented Tsukiko with an amused smile "And something most holy servant learn to do sooner or later. While meditation is important, empathy isn't a skill to be neglected either."

"Tsukiko-hime-sama is right." Miroku nodded – said hime rolled her eyes at the title the houshi insisted on giving her  
"You'll see!" she muttered "You'll be forced to drop all those formality as soon as we're stuck in our first fight! Calling me such a mouthful will get you killed otherwise!"  
"You should be used to it. You are the only heir to the Lord of the West after all. " teased InuYasha  
"Doesn't mean I like it." she grumbled good-naturally, still a bit surprised at the surprising insight the houshi had had on her origins – most holy servants didn't care enough about youkai to learn about their distinctive mark like the moon on her forehead in this era, yet Miroku had recognized it, and given her the correct, if lengthy, title according to her rank

The priest laughed good-naturally at her protests, knowing she was probably right, but didn't answer as they had arrived at the castle – quickly, he introduced himself to the guard, and they were soon introduced to the local hime and her worried father...  
They explained about how the princess had been having the same dream night after night – about an oni coming to get her in a carriage, taking her to an unknown mansion where she stayed for several hours, alone in an empty room but with the unceasing feeling of being watched by some unknown being.  
After assuring both that they would help, the pack and the houshi were soon talking about their course of action.

"The painter is human," Kagome was quickly pointing out "Yet the corpse we've found couldn't have been killed by him, and there are oni involved here too..."  
"But he reeks of blood and guts." protested Shippou "It's too fishy to dismiss!"  
"I'm not dismissing it. That man clearly was surrounded by an evil aura." reassured the young miko "I'm just wondering how he's tied to the situation."  
"He's probably the one controlling the oni." InuYasha affirmed, visibly having thought about it "Did you feel a shard?"

"I couldn't say, I didn't focus on him." she admitted guiltily "The aura around him was too disturbing."  
"It could have hidden the feeling of a shard then." Tsukiko concluded, now seeing where her beta was leading  
"But... the Shikon shards can't be used by human, can they?" asked Shippou  
"That's not totally true." Miroku corrected "The shards feed on evil in all its form. Youkai are simply most susceptible to it. Or rather, humans can be infected by a small dose of evil, without completely falling, whereas there is no middle-ground for youkai."  
Tsukiko nodded – even if simplified, the houshi had summed up the reasons why corrupted youkai tended to be so much more dangerous than corrupted humans, this was something she knew well as a Huntress.

¤.¤.¤

After a long talk – as like always Tsukiko tended to make people around her work to the conclusion rather than explain everything right away – they eventually settled on a course of action, and preparing themselves, waited for the night to come.  
And just like the hime had described, with the darkness, oni came to take her away – except she had failed to mention how strange their appearance was.

"It's just as you've guessed," commented Miroku toward InuYasha as they sped after the carriage "These things are drawings!"  
They arrived to a large and empty mansion, where Shippou, who'd volunteered himself to take the form of the princess, was already battling Koutatsu's creations, Padfoot by his side, the Grimm having followed him from the shadows.  
"And there's a shard in his inkwell!" Kagome realized as they all took their weapon out "It's the ink itself that's evil!"

With a large slicing motion, InuYasha was cleaving through a large group of ink-drawn oni, before faltering as the body felt to the ground in a mass of guts and ink, the powerful scent dizzying to his sensitive nose.  
Easily identifying the problem, Tsukiko reminded him "Shield your nose like I taught you to do in our time!"  
Shaking away the last of the powerful smell effect on him, the hanyou did as he was told, and was soon joining back into the fray – as for the monsters, they had been kept at bay by Miroku, the priest demonstrating for the first time the frightening power of his cursed hand.

"There's no end to it!" Kagome groaned, her naginata twirling around her as she fought side by side with Shippou "He just keep on unleashing new drawing!"  
"We'll just have to cut the root of the problem then!" decided InuYasha, pushing the oni out of his way and rushing toward the painter, who scrambled back in fear

"Don't come near me!"  
The hanyou faltered for a second at the honest terror in the man's eyes – missing the harder, crueler glint when he paused his attack, and getting pushed back the next moment by yet another painting hidden away in the painter's clothes.  
Not wasting a second, Koutatsu started to flee on an ink dragon, while InuYasha was jumping back on his feet, furious and ready to chase him – only to be stopped by the calming hand of Tsukiko on his arm.  
"It's too late, oji-san." she whispered sadly

As she said this, he realized that the evil feeling had suddenly increased, making Kagome recoil in horror – and the inkwell at the painter's side started to bubble, the blood and guts reaching toward the terrified man before the hanyou could do anything more than try to reach a helping hand toward him.  
"Rest in peace." Miroku sighed as the rest of the group neared the bubbling patch of miasma  
Kagome knelt, snatching the shard and purifying it in the same moment "He was trying to draw the hime." she informed them, eyes sorrowful, as she spotted the drawing that had fallen from Koutatsu's haori during their fight

"Tchh. As if anything but evil could be drawn with such an evil liquid." mocked the hanyou – yet he still rolled the drawing, taking it in front the of the incense Miroku was already burning "If you're wasting our time with a memorial, at least give him the one untainted possession he had left."  
The priest smiled serenely – just like he'd said earlier, InuYasha may act tough, the hanyou really was far more considerate than he gave himself credit for. With that, he finished his prayer for the painter's soul, the rest of the small traveling group respectfully silent around him.

Yes, he thought – this was a group he would stay with, and not only for their miko's unearthly aptitude to cleanse off such evil...

 **[Hunting Complete! Koutatsu's Inkwell**  
 **Reward:** +25XP, +1 Hunting Trophy]

 **[Level up!** Miroku is now level 30!  
+1 PP, +2CP, +2SP]


	8. Game On 30 VII Naraku

**Chapter** **7\. August 1996 Naraku**

The group of bandit was happy to find an easy prey as they stumbled upon the lone figure of a slender man with a nearly feminine beauty and rich clothes proving his wealth.  
Of course, their joy was of a short length, as their robbery was cut short by the seemingly easy prey cutting them all in half with an elegant snap of a whip.  
"As if you low life could hope to touch Sesshoumaru-sama!" a small toad sneered

"Jaken. Shut up." ordered the regal inu youkai in a bored tone, eyes darting around – someone was skulking in the shadows "I know you're here. Come out."  
"Ku ku ku. Of course, the famous Sesshoumaru would feel my presence."  
The youkai that had been observing him, hidden in the trees, was concealing his appearance under a thick white baboon skin. The young Lord of the West stared at him, outwardly impassible and neutral – inwardly scornfully measuring up the youkai who dared spy on him, yet didn't have the guts to show his appearance; a youkai whose youki, while oozing evil, was also clearly very potent, yet seemed so disregardful of their society laws...

"I don't have time to waste with petty talk. What do you want?"  
"There has been rumors going around..." the youkai said, dark amusement in his tone "The Lord of the West is growing soft..." he avoided the whip lashing at him with a leap "He's granted his hanyou of a brother pack status!" this time he laughed outright "These idiots don't understand, don't they?"  
Sesshoumaru didn't answer, instead raising an eyebrow, wondering where the idiot was going – he would refrain from killing him right now, as it seemed the uncouth youkai may have interesting information.

"What you've done with granting that damn hanyou pack status was genius!" the baboon-wearing youkai affirmed, laugh nearly demented "It was a death sentence hidden under a boon! You're just like me, wanting to get rid of InuYasha!" a sigh "But that idiot is stubborn in keeping alive, so I've decided to help you."  
"In other words, you want to kill this Sesshoumaru's brother and decide to make use of him for this task." the shiro inu summed up, barely hiding his disdain "Why would I need your help?"  
"I'm sure you don't need my help against him," the demented youkai assured swiftly "But he's got a new traveling companion who could prove... troublesome." a round item was thrown his way "This is a saimyoushou nest. It will prove useful in neutralizing the houshi accompanying him."

"I see." Sesshoumaru mused, observing the unassuming insect nest in his hand "What's your name, youkai?"  
"You can call me Naraku."  
"I'll remember the name." Sesshoumaru affirmed with a dark smile promising untold violence to the idiot that had so thoughtlessly yapped about his murdering intention toward his family pack

Dismissing the newly named Naraku without a second thought, the inu youkai was already following his keep senses in the direction where two familiar youki were calling to him.  
He had been thinking about checking on the hanyou and his musume, to see if the young alpha was maybe having more success than him in educating their hanyou family member – and now, he had to test whether they would be up to the fight against the annoyance that seemed to hold a grudge against InuYasha.

* * *

¤.¤.¤

* * *

 **[Event LV150! Family Love...**  
 **Goal:** Survive Sesshoumaru's "Improvement Test"  
 **Bonus goal 1:** force Sesshoumaru to defend against on of your attack rather than avoid them  
 **Bonus goal 2:** land a successful attack against Sesshoumaru  
 **Bonus goal 3:** use at least one pack attack against Sesshoumaru  
 **Reward:** +50XP per goal, +1 Beginner Survival Skill Tome and +1 Enhancement Stone to be chosen upon completion  
 **Bonus Reward:** +100XP per goal, unlocks **Sesshoumaru's** **Approval** Perk (+10 to one Fighting Skill) upon completion]

The new notification was met with wary glances in the pack – even Miroku picking on the suddenly tense atmosphere.  
"It's always a bad sign when the goal is only 'survive'..." mumbled Tsukiko, wondering what could have worried her father enough that he'd decided to inflict to them such a harsh survival test – the last time he'd done so was when she'd announce her intention to get her hunting license at barely thirty year old  
She looked around her.

They had just left the village where they'd spent the night, Miroku proving once more that a holy servant didn't have to be pure of intent by somehow founding a malevolent curse on the largest and wealthiest mansion in town – like always. To think the man, on top of proposing to nearly every girl around, was also a con-artist; it made her wonder about the houshi who'd educated him...  
Still, they were out of town, the country around them mostly grassy lowland with a few sparse groves. Not a lot of space to hide for a surprise attack, but good enough to have an all-out fight.  
"Chichi-ue is coming for a visit." she explained at Miroku "And he is apparently intent on testing our skills."

Miroku's eyes widened at the affirmation, quickly identifying just who was coming and she warned "This is going to be bloody, and violent. If you don't want to be involved, now's the time to put a bit of space between you and us."  
The houshi, as a traveling exorcist, had seen all kind of youkai and spirits – and even if he hadn't ever fought a daiyoukai, he'd seen them fight once or twice, each time lucky enough to get out of the battleground in one piece. In other words, he understood well the dangerous fight that would be happening – a fight he didn't need to participate in, as it didn't have anything to do with Naraku.

"I may have decided to travel with you to find our common enemy..." he said with more assurance than he felt "It doesn't mean I'm going to abandon just because this doesn't have anything to do with the Shikon no Tama."  
"Tch. Don't come crying if you get hurt." InuYasha answered back immediately – the usual harsh tone belied by the approval in his eyes

In the few days he'd been traveling with them, the houshi, if he'd proved himself to be a con-man and a smooth-talker, had also managed to seamlessly integrate with the pack, helping with Kagome's reiki lessons just as much as with Shippou's fighting ones, and taking on lecturing about any topic that caught his interest on the road just like Tsukiko tended to do.  
Between his skills in teaching, and his ability to provide a roof on their head, InuYasha had to admit – if he'd been a youkai, the houshi would have made a good beta, and this had both awakened his competitive streak, and helped him accept the man among them.  
And now, by affirming his intent to fight with them, Miroku had unknowingly achieved the feat of gaining the approval of all of them.

"Let's do this as a pack then." Tsukiko confirmed with a smile – and the houshi was skilled enough with words that he heard the newfound approbation in the short sentence, and the place he'd just gained in their small-knit group  
By his side, Padfoot was nudging him, reiki swirling lightly around the Grimm – and he realized where the pack mark they all wore proudly had come from.  
"Will you take it?"

He hesitated a second – never had he heard before of a pack where humans and youkai mingled so easily, and here he was, offered a place among them – then with a smile, he nodded offering his hand to the holy servant he hadn't identified before...

 **[Hidden Quest Complete! No one gets left behind...**  
 _Miroku is now part of Shadow's Pack_  
 **Reward:** +100XP, Miroku gains Chaos Game 3.0]

 **[Level up!** Kagome is now level 69!  
 _+1SP]_  
 **[Level up!** Shippou is now level 56!  
 _+3SP, +2CP]_  
 **[Level up!** Miroku is now level 34!  
+1SP]

The green word suddenly appearing in front of his eyes would have made the priest freak out – if not for the fact that he'd already gathered something strange was going on in the pack he was now a part of, the feeling of his houriki suddenly expanding to mingle harmlessly with the people around him surprising too, and Tsukiko's sigh of "Well... I'd hope to have time to explain things to you a bit before this happened, but no matter..."  
"This is Chaos Game!" Kagome was enthusiastically saying "It's a gift from the gods to help us!"  
"That, and to entertain them..." completed InuYasha, who like all of them had grown used to find strange perks and quests' name aimed at him

"Chaos would made a good kitsune." Shippou nodded with a smile  
"The most important thing for now, is that it answers to you though, so as long as you want to make the text disappear, you just have to mentally wish so." Tsukiko explained "For the rest, I'm afraid we're going to have to wait a bit."  
"Indeed." the houshi nodded "After all there's a powerful youki heading our way."  
And with that, Sesshoumaru appeared.

"Chichi-ue."  
"Musume. Otouto. Your pack has grown in number." the regal inu noted "Let's see if it has grown in strength too."  
The next second, he was attacking, swift and unrelenting as a storm – and the pack members all jumped out of the way, instinctively spreading out in a half-circle around the daiyoukai in order not to hamper each other as they battled.  
"He didn't seem nearly as strong last time!" protested Kagome as she flared her reiki into her weapon creating a defensive shield that barely held out a few seconds – enough thankfully for Sesshoumaru to be forced to jump back to avoid an attack from his daughter, who was clearly both the one who knew best how he fought, and who was the strongest among them

"He was holding back." grunted InuYasha, the youkai focused in Tessaiga creating a crescent-moon shaped aura as he slashed the sword  
"He's still holding back." added Tsukiko as she was sent flying with one swift attack of the dripping poisonous claws "Otherwise we'd already all be dead."  
The miko's eyes widened at the affirmation – who knew how much more powerful the shiro inu was in their era, if he already was this strong here in the Sengoku Jidai?  
But as she barely held out, surviving each time by shear luck or thanks to another pack member saving her – and saving just as many times each of her pack-mates - Kagome realized something...

Tsukiko too had been holding back in all of their fights, something she subconsciously knew, but only really understood as she witnessed the truly beautiful and deadly dance that was the huntress fighting.  
Still, just as the Event description had suggested – there was no way they could win against Sesshoumaru, and right now, they were all getting more and more tired. And yet, she knew they could – should – be able to do better. Hadn't they all managed to coordinate their attack well enough against the bosses they'd fought in the _Arena_ _System?_  
But of course, their two heavy hitter were wasting more time saving both her and Shippou than attacking – as for Miroku, his level may be lower than even Shippou's, he was proving to be a true survivor, able to avoid many attacks that would have been deadly for any human.

Barely dodging the dangerous youki whip, she started to make her way toward Shippou, activating the party chat with a thought and explaining the plan she'd came up with.  
Soon, Miroku was unleashing his kazaana – and like they'd expected, Sesshoumaru had been momentarily surprised, as he hadn't heard about the houshi's strange curse. InuYasha had rushed to take advantage of the momentarily lapse in attention – coming close enough that Sesshoumaru had to use his claws rather than his whip, right hand thrusting into his left side without any hesitation.  
The hanyou faltered, nearly falling to the ground and not able to avoid the next attack.

"You should stop here." Sesshoumaru idly commented "You can't see anymore," the nest given by Naraku was taken out of his haori, insects swarming toward the houshi "With this, the houshi will soon be out if this fight too..."  
The pack shared worried glances at the strange insect that seemed to voluntarily be flowing toward Miroku, but the priest stayed steadfast in his attack.

"As if!" snorted InuYasha 'I don't need my eyes as long as I can smell you!" the brash hanyou affirmed – they had a plan and he would held out long enough for it to be enacted  
Kagome looked like she wanted to protest, the blood gushing out of their beta a clear indication that he would soon loose consciousness. But the unseeing eyes were hardened in resolution, and so she didn't say anything, instead flaring her reiki as strongly as she could, imbuing the unfamiliar weapon she'd taken out of her Inventory.  
Mounted behind her on Padfoot, Shippou's flames were flaring too, dancing around her bow - and with a last surge of power, she let loose the arrow charged with both their powers.

The kitsune's youki acted as a cover, and Sesshoumaru dodged a fraction of a second too late, not having felt the miko's reiki until it was nearly upon him. This small delay was enough for Tsukiko to be able to predict where he was going to jump, and force him to parry her sword with his own uncutting blade, whose scabbard flared with protective power. This power, nevertheless wasn't enough as InuYasha, who'd attack with only his nose's indications just as he'd affirmed, had launched a powerful attack toward them.  
Even the hanyou was stunned as the youki enhanced Tessaiga unleashed several powerful blade of wind, cutting through the ground and the inu and ookami, effectively ending the fight.

 **[Goal complete!** +50XP  
 **Goal updated:** learn about why Sesshoumaru tested the pack  
 **Bonus goal 1 Complete!** (100+50)XP  
 **Bonus goal 2 Complete!** (100+50)XP  
 **Bonus goal 3 Complete!** (100+50)XP  
 **Bonus Goal Complete!** (100+50)XP, **Sesshoumaru's** **Approval** Perk (+10 to one Fighting Skill)]

 **[Goal complete!** +50XP  
 **Goal update:** learn the upgraded version of the Kaze no Kizu]

 **[Level up!** You are now level 140!  
 _+3SP, +2CP, +1PP]_  
 **[Level!** Kagome is now level 76!  
 _+8SP, +4CP, +1PP]_  
 **[Level up!** InuYasha is now level 115!  
 _+4SP, +2CP]_  
 **[Level up!** Shippou is now level 66!  
 _+9SP, +4CP, +1PP]_  
 **[Level up!** Miroku is now level 51!  
 _+15SP, +8CP, +2PP]_

 _ **[Perks**_ _ _  
-__ _ **Tango under the Stars(3/3):**_ _+7 Charisma_ _ **  
**_ _-_ _ **Faster than the Wind:**_ _unlocks_ _ **Shadow-Step**_ _Ability (progress scaled on_ _ **Parkour**_ _skill)  
\- __**I am the Night:**_ _unlocks_ _ **Shadow-Blending**_ _Ability (progress scaled on_ _ **Discretion**_ _skill)_ _ **  
\- Way of the Shinobi(1/2):**_ _+10 to Discretion, Parkour and Battle Sense(locks_ _ **Path of the Samourai**_ _)  
_ _ **\- Path of the Samourai(1/2):**_ _+10 to Strategy, Meditation and Killing Intent (locks_ _ **Way of the Shinobi**_ _)_

 _ _available: 1]__

[Miroku is now Two-Tailed!  
 **Two-Tail Perks**  
 **\- Family Trade:** your family has been producing for so long it's in your gene, giving you a natural understanding of Holy disciplines, making **Wards** and **Ritual** fast learning skills  
 **\- Exorcist:** dealing with spirits is your trade, and you know well how to do it, making **Runes** and **Spiritual** **Resistance** fast learning skills  
 **\- Pack Symbiosis:** you learn from your pack mate, unlocks **Elemental** **Manipulation** as a fast learning skill ( with an element to be chosen)

 _ _available: 1__ _]_

Sesshoumaru was the first to break the silence, somehow managing to stay calm an dignified in spite of the large wound that would have taken out his left arm had the hanyou not held back, somehow guessing the new attack he'd guessed at would be deadly if he'd gone all out.  
"I see you've managed to learn otou-sama's Kaze no Kizu."  
InuYasha's answer was cut by the sound of Miroku falling to the ground, and Kagome's panicked shout at his state.

"I see." mused the shiro inu "Those saimyoushou must be able to poison the houshi from within his kazaana. You've made a dangerous enemy."  
"Keh what would you know about this?" muttered InuYasha  
A flash of a whip, and a baboon, skin was torn in two, as a malevolent youki flared before disappearing "How disappointing, Sesshoumaru."  
"I told you not to spy on this one, Naraku."

The proclamation surprised the whole pack, who tried to take a better look at the youkai – but already, he'd disappeared, leaving but a faint feeling of tainted youki behind.  
"This fool came to this Sesshoumaru and tried to make use of him to kill you."

 **[Goal complete!** +50XP  
 **Goal update:** face Sesshoumaru's judgment]

Tsukiko didn't manage to repress an amused laugh at this affirmation "Manipulating one of the four Cardinal Lords? What kind of youkai would be stupid enough to do something like this?" she wondered while nearing the weakened houshi  
"An idiotic one." answered InuYasha while settling down heavily by Miroku's side "So?" How's the bouzu?"  
"He's a priest." corrected distractedly Kagome, hands glowing with holy power "And these insects did a number on him."  
"Naraku is the one who cursed him," Tsukiko noted while calling up her own reiki "He knows exactly how to affect him." she affirmed somberly, before turning her attention to her uncle, who was the most harmed among them after Miroku

While usually he would have balked and protested, the hanyou kept his silence this time, a testament not only to how badly hurt he was, but out of consideration toward his niece that was hurt herself – and by his own attack at that.  
A flash of guilt flared in InuYasha's eyes as he took on the young ookami's appearance with his newly regained vision – while most of the wounds had been inflicted by Sesshoumaru's whip and claws, there was no mistaking the large cut left behind by his Kaze no Kizu, partially hidden by her blood-soaked clothes.

Between the fact that he'd held back the attack, and the pack perk reducing the harm they could inflict to each other, the wound wasn't as bad as Sesshoumaru's – but that didn't matter, Sesshoumaru was Sesshoumaru, his elder brother, and an annoying bastard, while Tsukiko, even if she tended to be just as annoying as her father, was still a pup, alpha mark or not...

"I've done all I can for Miroku-sama." Kagome said as she came nearby, a worried Shippou by her side "And Shippou won't let me heal him as long as you haven't been cared for." the tone of her voice left little doubt to the fact that she clearly agreed with the kit's assessment  
With a shrug Tsukiko dropped the nearly shredded sleeve of her haori, and of the lighter kimono she was wearing under, revealing the band biding her chest, and a large set of scar that made their eyes widen.

"Tsuki-chan! What the hell is this!" exclaimed Kagome, still shocked  
An absentminded glance to her should, and the hime shrugged, still focused of InuYasha's wound "Automail scar." she answered easily "I must have forgotten the illusion. I lost my arm in my last life, and had to be fitted with a replacement. Hurt like a bitch." she reminisced with a wince "But worked like a charm."  
"Wow. Must have been a pretty advanced world then." Kagome commented, a bit awed  
"Not really. It was a lot like the early nineteenth century. Except for the automail, and alchemy, of course."

Kagome, who was now focusing on her healing, noted "This is going to scar."  
"Not a problem." shrugged Tsukiko "Most scars don't follow me in the next life."  
InuYasha looked a bit relieved at the affirmation – the mere thought that the wound he'd inflicted could have scared enough that it followed his niece through her next life...  
Finally, Tsukiko and InuYasha were patched up – as good as the two girls healing powers were, neither could completely heal such heavy wounds as those InuYasha, Tsukiko and Miroku had sustained, but they weren't defenseless anymore.  
While Kagome started to focus on Shippou lighter, but not insubstantial, wounds – Tsukiko turned toward her father, who'd been watching the pack while leaning negligently against a tree, so silent InuYasha had nearly forgotten he was there.

"Will you let me heal you?"  
"This Sesshoumaru doesn't need healing for such trifling wounds."  
"Not even to indulge his daughter?"

The young youkai lord was surprised at the pleading question – but under the fearsome power of puppy eyes, even the powerful Lord of the West had to cave.  
It took InuYasha all his strength of will not to comment on the fact that not only was Tsukiko a papa's girl – but the father too seemed to be rather dotting for such a notoriously icy lord. To think it was only the second time he was seeing the girl...

Armour on the ground and haori to the waist, Sesshoumaru was observing his daughter's healing prowess with nearly unconcealed curiosity, his canine ancestry never so evident. After all, it wasn't everyday that a daiyoukai could claim to have been healed with reiki by his purely youkai daughter from the future...  
"So?" asked said daughter as she worked her magic "Was our fight satisfactory?"  
"Tolerable." he answered, which coming from him was a glowing endorsement "You've grown stronger in a short time, and gathered a good pack." he praised, making the young ookami smile brightly "The House of Moon is honored to have you as it's heir, and will endorse your pack, young alpha."

 **[Event LV 150 Complete! Family Love...**  
 **Reward:** +50XP, +1 Beginner Survival Skill Tome and +1 Enhancement Stone to be chosen]

 **[Level up!** Miroku is now level 52!  
 _+1SP]_

At this affirmation, Tsukiko's eyes widened, and without a second thought she glomped her stunned father – under the no less stunned stares of her pack. As for Sesshoumaru, the only sign of surprise he showed under such an assault was a minute widening of his eyes, before they softened ever so slightly – and a few seconds later Tsukiko was remembering the usual rules of propriety among youkai outside of the private circle, letting her father go before bowing perfectly, suddenly the image of the proper heir to the West...  
"This Tsukiko is honored by your trust, chichi-ue."

 **[Hidden Quest Complete! The pride of the pack...**  
 **Reward:** +100XP, Political System unlocked]  
 **[System log:** Political System  
The _Political_ _System_ contain the tabs related to the relation within the House you are affiliated to, and the relation with the other Houses.  
Being part of a House means not only you are under it's leader's protection, but also that should this leader call to arm, you are obligated to respond. Each House posses different ranks internally, the lower being that of retainer and the higher that of noble. Those ranks each having different boons and duties.]

[Shadow's pack is now recognized as part of the House of Moon  
 **House** **of** **Moon** **Member** Pack Perk ( +3 Endurance ) unlocked]  
[ **"Heir of the House of Moon"** title activated  
+1 Intelligence, +1 Agility, +2 Charisma]

 **[Level up!** You are now level 141!  
 _+1SP]_  
 **[Level!** Kagome is now level 79!  
 _+3SP]_  
 **[Level up!** InuYasha is now level 116!  
 _+1SP]_  
 **[Level up!** Shippou is now level 68!  
 _+2SP]_  
 **[Level up!** Miroku is now level 57!  
 _+5SP, +2CP]_

The pack's eyes widened at the multiple notifications – most hadn't realized just what exactly Sesshoumaru's simple praise had entailed, but Chaos' Game had been kind enough to put it in term simple enough for all to realize that their pack now had a recognized place in youkai society.  
Just like marking InuYasha with the pack marks of an adult, this was a bold statement from the Lord of the West.

¤.¤.¤

There was no mistaking the small pang of sadness as Tsukiko watched her father leave the camp her pack had set for the evening – and InuYasha was the first to react, dropping his bedding for the night next to hers and curling beside her in a very canine fashion, making a still weak, but now awake Miroku point out "InuYasha is very protective of his family, isn't he?"  
"Well, it is the first one he's ever had." Kagome answered in a low voice – and even though the hanyou had heard both, he didn't react, for there was no pity in either comment, simply camaraderie

The next day, they decided to make their way back to Edo – all of them needed to rest a bit because of their wounds, Chaos Game still had to be explained to the houshi, and the fact that Naraku clearly was after InuYasha as far back as fifty years ago even thought the hanyou hadn't even known his name before they met Miroku had to be discussed, preferably with Kaede present; not to mention Kagome needing to drop by her time to pick up her studying packets, the girl's studies progressing quite fast seeing as she now had nearly individual tutoring from two holy servants...

They were nearing the village when the young ookami's eyes lightened up with delight, while Shippou's nose twitched, the kit clearly unsettled by a smell both familiar and alien...  
"Ryo!"  
Kagome and InuYasha watched knowingly the girl jump into her fiancé's arm in a motion clearly done countless time before, while Miroku and Shippou shared a non-plussed glance – before the kit finally recognized the name.

"Oh! So this is Tsuki-chan's intended! That must be why his smell is so familiar." Shippou decided, not noticing the amused look Kagome and InuYasha shared at the affirmation  
"How are you doing, Ryo-kun?" greeted Kagome with a smile  
"Good enough." the red kitsune answered with a charming smile "I'm traveling as a hunter while looking out for the kids." he explained  
"Did you have any success so far?"

"One encounter with a group of Demon Hunters that found it weird that a youkai was doing the same job as them, a few jobs here and them." his eyes darkened "And far too many orphans for such as small lapse of time." he pointed vaguely toward the forest where the bone-eater well laid "I just came back from home, I've already brought back a dozen of full-blooded kids from several species, and countless harmless beast youkai."  
"Good then." nodded Shippou, before explaining himself "Well not good that they are orphans, but good that you found them to give them a new home." as an orphan himself, hearing about the up until now unknown fiancé of his alpha's self-assigned task he had of course approved, not wanting to think about would have happened to him hadn't his pack found him

"You got that right, chibi." nodded the elder kitsune, gaining a glare from the younger one  
"I'm not a chibi!"  
"Yeah right! You look like you're six or seven year old!" laughed Ryo  
"Need I remind you how old you looked like before your second growth spur?"  
"No need to be so mean, _bambina_!" the former hitman protested immediately  
"Second growth spur?" asked Miroku  
This of course, launched a small lesson on youkai development, from the two major growth spur they passed through at birth and at the end of childhood to the significance of looking as young as Tsukiko and Ryoichi had, or Shippou was – Kagome amused at the fact that for once she wasn't the one being taught, as Miroku, as open-minded as he was, just couldn't know everything about youkai.

While they were talking, the pack plus Ryoichi had made their way toward Kaede's hut, where they were welcomed by the old miko, who was singing the praises of Tsukiko's fiancé – apparently, he'd not only taken a few job as a hunter around, but also dissuaded a few of the more adventurous youkai from coming near the village, a task usually left to the old woman, that relished in the unexpected lightning of her workload.  
They had soon caught up the miko and the kitsune about what had happened during their traveling, even if Ryoichi had already heard about most of it thanks to the _Communication_ _System._ From describing how they'd started traveling with the priest, they went on explaining to him about how three people in the hut were time-travelers, and then about Chaos Game.

As a learned man who'd already had a few days to play around with the strange power, Miroku was swift to understand just how precious a gift Chaos Game truly was, and reiterated how thankful he was to have been given a place in their pack and family.  
Then, they explained about Naraku, how he'd cursed the houshi's ancestor, and seemed to have a grudge against InuYasha...  
"So this Naraku is the one who've tricked InuYasha and onee-sama?" Kaede thoughtfully repeated "I see..."

She heaved herself up, and gestured the pack to follow her "I've been thinking about it ever since that hag tried to resurrect Kikyou-onee-sama," she explained as they left the village "Wondering about who could have held such a grudge against her..." a frown "And at that time, there was only one person who fit this description."

 **(flashback start)**  
Kikyou's benevolence was such that the pure hearted miko hadn't hesitated a second when she'd happened upon the badly burnt and broken-boned body of a bandit who'd committed all sort of atrocities in a neighboring country.  
Hauling the incapacitated man toward a nearby cavern, she went everyday to take care of him.  
But despite the horrific wounds the disfigured man sported, and the fact he likely never again would be able to move – Kaede couldn't make herself pity the man.

Because even as broken as he was, as soon as he opened his mouth, the evil tainting his heart was apparent...  
"Your sister," he'd said one day to the young girl "She's the one guarding the jewel called the Shikon no Tama, isn't she?"  
"What is it to you?" she'd snapped back mistrustfully  
"All the villains are after it, you know." he'd commented conversationally "Because this jewel, the more malice it absorbs, the more evil it becomes. How nice."  
The wishful tone of the man repulsed the young girl, who couldn't help but retort "Onee-sama keeps it pure. It won't become evil like you say."

"Kikyou always has this fucking unruffled face." he commented, as if agreeing with her – then something akin to lust was heard in his tone "I really want to see it... this girl's with a disrupted face. It would be thrilling."  
The following laugh creeped out the little girl, who was soon running out and reporting the discussion to Kikyou.  
The miko hadn't been surprised, nor shocked – and simply commented that in any case, the bandit would never be able to move again, and as such wasn't a danger to her...  
 **(flashback end)**

"Onee-sama died soon after, and when I finally visited the cave several days later, it was burnt down. I thought a lamp had fallen to the ground, and he had burned to death, not even his bones remaining..."  
"This man you're talking about," Miroku realized "he was human, right."  
"That he was." the old miko nodded, before gesturing to a small cave "Here it is."

They weren't even a few feet into the cave when all holy servant shuddered "There is an intense feeling of evil," Kagome whispered  
"And it's all centered around here." Kaede realized, pointing on a burnt patch of dirt "This is where Onigumo used to lay..."  
"Then it is likely than this man was so corrupted than he got possessed by a tainted youkai." Miroku commented  
Suddenly, a new smell filled the small cavern – a sickly sweet incense – and as fumes started to fill the space, a silhouette all but Ryoichi and Miroku knew appeared in front of them...

"I've been waiting for you, InuYasha."  
Indeed – it was Kikyou standing in front of them, or rather, InuYasha corrected himself, an image of Kikyou. Because the true miko he'd seen accept her place in the reincarnation circle, so this bloody image could only be a mimicry...  
"I wouldn't have died if it weren't for you, InuYasha, so come and join me in hell."  
Then, the image disappeared as the houshi's shakujou pierced through the body of a lizard on the ground.  
"The incense for the spell was hidden in its body." he explained "Naraku knew we'd come here."

"What kind of psychological harassment is this?" protested loudly InuYasha as he stomped out of the cavern "Can't this bastard just come and face me?"  
"At least we've confirmed that Naraku and Onigumo must be linked, one way or another."  
"What I don't understand is why he didn't just take the jewel once he tricked InuYasha and Kikyou?" Shippou wondered "He had the jewel, yet he let it go..."  
"Because it was still too pure for him to use. By making Kikyou and InuYasha believe each had deceived the other, he must have hopped that Kikyou would have let herself become corrupt, thus making the jewel rip for the taking..." explained Kaede

"But instead, Kikyou sealed me and let herself die with the jewel..." completed the hanyou darkly "Thus putting it out of Naraku's reach."  
"Until I fell into the well..." realized Kagome, disheartened that the jewel she'd inadvertently broken was once more the source of so much heartache  
"You falling into the well and breaking the Shikon is something that was meant to happen." Tsukiko reminded the girl with a comforting smile "And right now you're doing everything you can to gather it back, so don't dwell on it."  
"Tsukiko-hime is right." Miroku nodded "You cannot let yourself feel guilty over something you couldn't stop from happening."

"Beside," InuYasha nearly growled "The shards being scattered around is the only reason we've even learned about the bastard."  
"Indeed." Miroku confirmed "Before the shards made their appearance in the countryside, I hadn't heard anything about Naraku in ages."  
Before anything more could be added, Ryoichi and Tsukiko had shared a glance, feeling a fraction of second before the rest of the group the arrival of a new youkai. Jumping together without needing to say a word, so used they were to fight side by side, the couple easily stopped the large youkai looking like a mix between a wolf and a human.  
"What do you want."

Eyes widening at how quickly he'd found out and cornered, the other quickly explained "I'm Rouyakan, the wolf from hell! I was told that InuYasha would be an easy prey because of his wounds!"  
"By whom?" Ryoichi asked  
"He called himself Naraku! He said that if I won against the hanyou, the forest would be mine!"  
"And did he say that InuYasha was beta of a pack of the House of Moon?" Tsukiko wondered, tone light yet menacing  
"What? No of course not!" the youkai quickly denied "I'm not stupid enough to mix myself in all those daiyoukai political games!"  
"It seems you were fooled by Naraku, then." the young heiress of the House of Moon realized "Get out and we'll let you live."  
"Yes! I will! Thank you!"

 **[Hunting Complete! Rouyakan  
Reward:** +25XP, +1 Hunting Trophy]

"Seems like the bastard is keeping an eye on us." InuYasha commented as the made their way back to the village, wolf of hell already out of their mind  
"Not well enough." Tsukiko added with an amused smile "It's as if he doesn't know anything about the youkai society."  
"He knew about pack mark." pointed out Kagome

"Yet he thought them meaningless," reminded Shippou "if he'd truly understood, he'd never thought Sesshoumaru-sama was trying to get InuYasha killed by granting them..."  
"Could Naraku simply be the name Onigumo choose after getting possessed?" the young miko asked "After all, if he was previously human, it'd explain why he doesn't know that much about youkai society..."

 **[Goal complete!** +50XP  
 **Goal update:** find about Naraku's weakness  
 **Hidden bonus goal complete!**  
 _You've put all the pieces together and guessed about Naraku's origins_  
 **Reward:** (100+50)XP, ]  
 **[Level up!** Kagome is now level 81!  
 _+2SP,+2CP, +1PP]_  
 **[Level up!** InuYasha is now level 117!  
 _+1SP]_  
 **[Level up!** Shippou is now level 70!  
 _+2SP, +2CP, +1PP]_  
 **[Level up!** Miroku is now level 61!  
 _+4SP, +2CP, +1PP]_

"Well, there's your answer." commented the hanyou as he read the latest update  
"And with your guess, you've also given answer to the next goal." commented Tsukiko, amused  
"Eh?"  
"Naraku is what was born from Onigumo letting himself possessed." Ryoichi pointed out, the other having understood the same thing as his intended easily "In other words, Naraku is a mix of human and youkai. Not a youkai."

"The bastard's a hanyou!'" InuYasha blurted, eyes widening "He's got the same weak point as any of us!"  
"Er... Hanyou have a well-known weak-point?" asked Kagome, surprised  
At that, InuYasha hesitated for a moment, before making up his resolve.  
"One day per month, hanyou loose all their powers. We're no better than any other humans for a sun rise until the next. This is a day we hide carefully, and it isn't the same from one hanyou to the other." he explained

Kagome and Shippou shared a glance, both realizing in retrospect which day that must have been for their beta friend – while Miroku, who hadn't been with them at the time, focused on the other fact this explanation pointed out.  
"In other words, Naraku's human once a month."  
"Without a doubt." InuYasha nodded, with a satisfied smile "Now we just have to find out when, and get the bastard!"

 **[Goal complete!** +50XP  
 **Goal update:** confront Naraku]

 **[Level up!** Miroku is now level 62!  
 _+1SP]_

"Well, this isn't a goal we're going to succeed at quite as fast." Tsukiko commented "he seems quite good at running away."  
"Knowing what kind of hanyou he is would probably help." Miroku affirmed as they headed back to the village  
"The houshi's right." Ryo confirmed "You don't go about tracking a canine or a feline the same way, for example."  
As they neared the village, Kagome split up from the pack, deciding it was still early enough for her to drop by Mahoutokoro in order to keep up with her studies.

¤.¤.¤

While she was doing this, Ryoichi had somehow roped both InuYasha and Shippou in a training session, neither the hanyou nor the kit understanding the commiserating look their alpha was giving them until it was too late...  
"Your fiancé is a harsh trainer." Miroku commented as they witnessed the beating down both pack member were getting from the spectator section of the Arena  
"He already was fond of beating the understanding into his students during his first life... Being reborn as a youkai didn't help with the tendency." Tsukiko confirmed with a wince at one particularly sharp blow Shippou was taking "That and he's getting a bit of revenge I think." she added

"How so?"  
"Shippou will eventually grow up and become his father. Can you imagine having a prankster as a father?" she asked remembering some of the worst things the golden kitsune had inflicted to his elder son  
Miroku's eyes widened in understanding. In the pack, InuYasha tended to be the one at the end of the kit's pranks more often than not, but all were well aware of his mischievousness – and somehow, the priest didn't think maturing would make it disappear...  
"Ah, so this is family bonding then." he decided with a firm nod "No need to get involved!"

"Indeed. Now tell me what did you want to ask me about?"  
The houshi wasn't surprised their young leader had guessed why he'd taken her apart "Now that you explained about your unique gift, I went back and explore a bit the information it was giving me, and realized I needed more knowledge to make a few choices."  
The next hour, Tsukiko spent explaining more about the game mechanic which were becoming a second nature to her – from the impact of characteristic points to perks, and finally the last choice left for the houshi was that of his Two-Tail Perk.

To her surprise, he seemed already more or less set on one of the perk.  
"Naraku has something to neutralize my kazaana," he explained as she expressed her surprise "And the fight against Sesshoumaru-sama pointed out that we can't all be fighting at a close range when there's only one enemy. And my only defenses out of my kazaana is either my shakujou, which is a melee weapon, or my sutra, which takes time to write."  
"You're right." a smile "You've taken to this gift really fast for someone who'd never seen something like it before. So do you already have an element in mind?"

"It would be rather redundant to choose fire, even if it is rather often associated with holy servants."  
Tsukiko nodded "With both Shippou and I using Fox Fire, I can easily agree."  
"And I'd like something that can be good for defense too, but still flexible. Fox Fire is at it's core fire manipulation with youki mixed in, so it stand to reason that I'd eventually be able to add by own houriki to the element I choose."  
The ookami nodded, an approving glint in her eyes at the intelligence the houshi was proving once more he possessed.

"You should also chose an element you've got a good understanding of." she warned "In my previous life, I struggled with the use of air alchemy because I lacked a basic understanding of the way winds and air worked around me. To work with fire, I must understand what makes a fire start or stop, what makes it stronger or weaker, how it interact with the world around..."  
"I thought as much." Miroku muttered, more for himself than as an answer – resolve made, he smiled brightly "Thank you for taking the time to walk me through all of these decisions. I think my path is clear now!"

She raised an eyebrow as he shared his choice "I thought you'd have chosen air, to be honest." she admitted  
"It is the element I know the best." he confirmed "But this knowledge comes from Naraku's curse. I'd like... to work harder at something my own. I don't want to owe him anything."

The rest of the day, Miroku spent training on his own, after being given several useful advice by Tsukiko – the houshi may present an easy-going facade to the world, he was anything if not hard-working when it came to his skills, and as such, he'd decided he'd master the basis of his newly gained talent by the time they hit the road again.  
Smiling at her new pack member's resolve, Tsukiko had proceeded to save InuYasha and Shippo from her fiancé's personal strand of torture – and spent the rest of the day with him, the couple bonding in the unique way they were used to by promptly getting into a heated sparring session.

The next morning, the two of them were the first awakened, the couple leaning against each other on the steps of Kaede's hut while the sun was rising.  
"I'll be headed north tomorrow." the former hitman explained "I'll probably be gone for a while, I want to go as far up as I can before the cold season start."  
Tsukiko merely nodded, easily understanding his intention – even if youkai were better at surviving harsh weather conditions than humans, children weren't necessarily educated enough to know how to face the coldest months, and by gathering the orphans up before winter, he would probably save a lot of them.

It also meant they wouldn't see each other for weeks, if not months.  
With a sigh, she rested her head against his shoulder, before announcing "We're heading south, Miroku has heard about some kind of immortal hermit living in the mountain, it sounds a bit fishy for a human." a shrug "With any luck, there's a shard involved, at worst it's some kind of youkai posing as a human for who knows what reason..."  
"A weak lead is better than none." the kitsune commented, echoing her thoughts

She was about to answer when their senses announced a new youkai presence, approaching rather fast – an aura they had felt only the day before, yet which had been twisted and changed in that small lapse of time...  
"I am sorry alpha-sama! I tried to tell him I wouldn't attack again, but he cursed me!"  
Indeed, this was Rouyakan, the wolf youkai they had send flying with mere words the day before – but some strange vines were now flowing out of the single point on his brow, and growing by the moment.

"I'd rather die a swift death by your claws than eaten away by this thing alpha-sama!" the wolf beseeched, clearly already suffering so much that sanity was leaving the to begin with simple youkai  
The rest of the pack, who'd been awakened by the loud explanation, and errant youki, was out of the hut by this point, and it was Kagome who pointed out "But wouldn't you rather live?"  
"Of course I would!" Rouyakan affirmed, sensing in spite of the pain he was in that the young miko wasn't mocking him "But only that damn Naraku can take this out since he's the one who put it in!"

Even if Kagome was rather swift for a human, the wolf youkai had more than enough time to see her come toward him and reaching her hand toward him – but in his hazy mind, it was so evident that she was going to end his suffering that he didn't even try to avoid the petite miko and her potent reiki.  
Closing his eyes in acceptance – he soon reopened them in stupor, as the suffering did indeed come an end – but not the way he expected...  
"The curse was embedded in a Shikon shard." Kagome commented, the small item held between to fingers already purified by her reiki "You'll be alright now."

And indeed, the plant that was stealing the wolf's life away was withering and falling to the ground now that it'd lost it's source.  
Tsukiko smiled at her friend in approbation – she would have done the same after all, if the young miko hadn't understood the situation fast enough. The youkai may be loud, a bit annoying, and a bit simple, he just was someone who'd got stuck in Naraku's schemes and didn't deserve such a cruel death.

"You saved me!" the wide-eyed youkai realized "How can I ever repay you?"  
"Well... I don't really need anything really..." Kagome mumbled, not expecting the exuberant thankfulness of the wolf  
"There must be something! It's the second time all of you let me live!" the youkai insisted  
Kagome's eyes turned toward Tsukiko, silently asking for help. Amused, the young alpha suggested "Well our pack is traveling a lot." Said Tsukiko "You could protect InuYasha's territory for him."  
"Yes! I'll do it!"

"But you'll have to remember that this village is a part of that territory too, and it's inhabitant to be protected."  
"I'll remember!" the wolf nodded enthusiastically "Anyway I don't eat humans, deer are much better!" he affirmed, making Kagome whiten at the reminder that quite a lot of youkai did indeed consider humans as food in these days and age  
"Good." Tsukiko praised, her aura flaring around her to mingle with the wolf's for an instant "With this you are now considered a retainer of the West, indentured to my pack."  
"I won't let you down, alpha-sama!" the youkai promised, before rushing away, eager to start his new duties

¤.¤.¤

"You are too kind." Ryu commented, nuzzling fondly his mate-to-be hair  
"The fox is right." Inuyasha added "Someone try to kill us twice, and you give him a job most normal youkai would never dream of!"  
"Is being a retainer that good?" Kagome asked, a bit lost in the political posturing that had just happened

"For a mid-level youkai like Rouyakan, it's something he probably never even dreamed of. He is now officially under the House of Moon protection, even if he's far from being a part of it," Ryoichi explained patiently "still it was a good move." he admitted "With InuYasha traveling around, some low-level trash may have forgotten that this territory was his, and try to take it over."  
"Which would have meant more youkai attacks against the village." Shippou realized "Whereas with Rouyakan bearing the mark of a retainer, even if he's not all that powerful they'll realize that InuYasha hasn't abandoned his territory."

 **[Political System** updated!  
 **Royakan** _(wolf youkai level 27)_ has been added as a Shadow Pack retainer: +25XP]

[ **Hidden Political Goal Complete! The path of supreme conquest...**  
you have gained your first retainer  
 **Reward:** +100XP, +1 Recall location unlocked in the _Map System_ ]

 **[Shadow Pack** is now LV3!  
 **\- pack LV1 bonus (3/10):** +3 to all Regeneration Rates  
 **\- pack LV2 bonus (2/10):** +10 Spiritual Resistance  
 **\- pack LV3 bonus (1/10):** unlocks +5 Synergy as a Ground Skill  
 **\- XP to LV4:** 0/1500]

Kagome stiffened – and clearly, it wasn't the notifications that had caught her attention "I wasn't sure at first, because of the shard that was in Rouyakan but... she frowned her eyes looking searchingly toward the forest "There's a Shikon fragment over there."  
Now that his nose knew to look for something, it took but a moment for InuYasha to realize that the young miko was right. Someone was spying on them, and there really was only person whom he knew of that would be doing something like that right now.

"Naraku! You won't get away you bastard!"  
In one powerful jump, her was heading in the direction where he'd just felt a cleverly hidden youki, the rest of the pack following without missing a beat.  
"Stop running away you bastard! What is your problem with me!" InuYasha roared, the anger and frustration of the last day's revelation finally free to rage  
"Eh." the youkai, hidden under a white baboon pelt, came to a stop, the pack members having cut his escape "I guess I can tell you as much before you die..."  
Even with the pelt hiding away his feature, the intense hatred was easy to felt "It's because while Kikyou fell in love with a worthless hanyou, and degraded herself into a powerless woman... Onigumo, fueled by his despicable desires, filled that cave with his evil, calling countless demons to him... Giving up even his soul for a body that could move, to steal the Shikon no Tama and make Kikyou his!"

Tsukiko went still at that affirmation, focusing her senses on the one who was speaking seemingly lost in his reminiscences – the hanyou's story was far more revealing than he knew...  
"And thus this Naraku was born from the ashes of Onigumo's body and soul!"  
"And you went on plotting to put Kikyou against me!" InuYasha interrupted, fury still evident in his eyes, but far calmer than before, even if their enemy didn't realize it  
"You should have hated each other, and she would have asked the jewel for help, tainting it! Then I could have destroyed her, limb from limb, and taken my prize!"

Kagome shuddered in disgust at the demented joy and lust she could hear in the man – no the demon's voice, admiring the former protector of the jewel's strength, as she had instead kept to her duty to the end...  
"The Shikon no Tama would have been mine, if not for you worthless hanyou and this stupid woman!"

"You bastard."  
InuYasha's anger had gone from hot to cold, and it was terrifying to witness – in any other occasion, Kagome would probably have been deadly afraid of these icy eyes aimed at the hidden hanyou like a predator looked at its prey.  
But right now, she wasn't afraid – because this was her pack-mate that was angry, and under that anger, she could feel so much hurt, despair and longing for what could and should have been. And so instead of being afraid, she was angry too.

For InuYasha, who'd spent fifty years stuck to that tree without knowing the truth.  
For Kikyou who died without knowing either.

All because of the twisted fantasy of a man so evil he'd let himself get consumed by it...  
"How dare you do this to Kikyou!" Tessaiga was glinting in her owner's hand, the large blade heavy with youki "I won't forgive you!"  
The inu hanyou was fast, and powerful – and if Naraku was able to dodge, it was directly into the path of Miroku's shakujou, who dispelled the white pelt into the youki it had been materialized from, letting them see the face of their enemy for the first time...

The man was wearing a kimono ornate enough to be that of a noble, and had long wavy hair simply tied in his back, and dark eyes speaking of all his madness.  
"I guess I'll have to take you a bit more seriously, eh." the dark-haired hanyou idly noted, saimyoushou materializing around him to neutralize Miroku's kazaana while youki suddenly filled the air, materializing into an heavy fog with an ominous sulfuric smell.

"Miasma." the houshi recognized first  
"Tch. As if that would stop me!" InuYasha commented jumping forward, the winds gathering around his sword as for the second time he unleashed the Kaze no Kizu, cutting a large gust of clean air through the enemy's youki – and revealing a stunned Naraku, who'd hidden in his miasma  
"Impossible!"  
Not wasting time, the hanyou gathered his remaining miasma around him, using the poisonous fog to protect him before escaping, under InuYasha's furious glare.

 **[Goal complete!** +50XP  
 **Goal update:** find Naraku's lair]

"Damn it." the beta muttered, before turning toward his alpha "Thank you. For not interfering."  
Tsukiko merely smiled "You were doing just fine."  
"Yet he escaped."

"I couldn't have stopped him either." their alpha admitted candidly "He'd have fled before any of us would have had the time to deploy a ward to trap him. And he tends to send minions rather than to the job himself. He's really crafty, isn't he."  
"That he is." InuYasha admitted, eyes darkened "That damn spider."

"Spider?" Miroku asked, surprised at the choice of word  
"Spider." Shippou was the one to confirm "It was probably to fast for a human to see, but when he ran, his back was exposed to us. There was a large burnt mark on it, in the form of a spider."

"Probably what's left of the day Onigumo became Naraku." Ryoichi pondered "The hanyou doesn't realized what he revealed to us with that..." he added with a smirk  
"What do you mean?" wondered Miroku, curious about what he could have missed  
"He revealed that he was born of an aggregation of multiple youkai." Tsukiko explained "In other words, several low-level youkai used his human body as an anchoring to create a new, more powerful youkai."

"And why is this important?"  
"Because it means he maybe powerful, he has neither the training nor the experience at being so." Roy said succinctly  
"Daiyoukai are much more powerful than youkai, but there is only two natural ways to become one. Being born as one, or becoming one from growing stronger enough. In this case, we can safely say that Naraku is a hanyou daiyoukai, just like InuYasha. And to be honest, right now he's much more powerful than InuYasha..."  
The inu growled in a low voice at his alpha's affirmation, but didn't try to refute it.

"But InuYasha has an important advantage on him. He is used to being a hanyou daiyoukai, he was born as one. Even if has less training than he should have because he was orphaned so young, he still have the important advantage of experience."  
"Oh." Miroku understood "Naraku is only fifty years, isn't he."  
"That's right. In other words, he is but a child in terms of experience."

"Is this why he is always sending people after us rather than attacking himself?" Kagome wondered  
"Probably. That and he is a spider, apparently. He probably took on the powers of the more powerful of the youkai when he was born, thus that scar in his back." Ryo explained  
"So... What do we know about kumo youkai, then?" Shippou wondered, looking a bit lost "Now that I think about it I haven't hard about a lot of them except for the one we met before that hag tried to resurrect Kikyou..."

"Because there aren't a lot of very small youkai who manages to grow powerful enough to be considered more than beast youkai." Tsukiko explained "Myouga would be an example of those few. And most of them usually are very smart and have a strong survival instinct."  
"So... Is there anything well-known about spiders, then?"

"They are plotters, and then to use underlings to do the job for them, just like Ryo said." a sight "But their main strong point is that once they grow in power they manage to take on a lot of powers from other species. And Naraku already has all those powers available thanks for being born from multiple youkai."  
The affirmation made the pack wince, but the heavy silence that followed was soon broken by InuYasha's loud affirmation "Bah. All powerful or not, it doesn't change anything! We're still going to find him, and kick his ass."  
"That we are, oji-san." Tsukiko was the first to confirm, an amused smile on her lips "That we are."


	9. Game On 30 VIII Fate be Changed

**Chapter** **8\. August 1996 Fate be Changed**

The newest revelation had been interesting – but they hadn't changed their current plans.  
And so, on the very same day they had fought Naraku, the pack was on the road once more, after giving their farewell to Ryoichi, who was heading north, and Kaede, who of course was staying in Edo.

It took them two weeks to travel to the parts where the rumors of a sennin, an hermit, were originated – and one more week to pinpoint in which part of the mountain the man was supposed to be. During that time, all had kept up with whatever training could be had on the road, mainly by completing small games Tsukiko knew of that helped with the training of youki and reiki, and going through at least one **Hunting Spot** each day.

Those **Spots,** which they hadn't used much at first, were less rewarding than the **Arena Boss,** and simply zone they had already visited, where they hunted waves of youkai, which type depended on the **Spot** – inu youkai in InuYasha's forest, ghosts and spirits by Edo's river where they had met the mu onna, spider in the mountain temple... but the clear advantage of the Hunting Spots on the Bosses was that they were faster to take on, and were available everyday, which meant they were more adapted for training on the road.

That training and traveling rhythm was tiring, but all were determined – they had seen Naraku, and now knew that the hanyou was not only cunning, but powerful too, and all were set on seeing him defeated.  
This constant training was already showing its fruit, as as they reached the area where the sennin was rumored to live, all had managed to spot things they probably wouldn't have noted before.

InuYasha had been the first, his nose picking on the faint traces of frequent human passage. Following this trail, they had soon come upon an empty village...  
Of course, the strange thing was that the village hadn't been attacked, as there was no trace of fight – yet it was just as clear that it had been empty pretty hastily, as the modest huts weren't emptied of their belongings.  
This had been the first sign that things were fishy.

Then, Kagome had started to feel the faint echo of a shard, right in the direction of the sennin's rumored retreat.  
That had confirmed to the group that something evil was probably at work.  
And that was when they found the tree...

 **[New Secondary Quest! The evil peach boy...  
Goal:** find the sennin  
 **Bonus goal:** find out what happened to the village  
 **Reward:** +25XP per goal, +1 Beginner Skill book upon completion  
 **Bonus reward:** +50XP per goal, +1 Enhancement Stone to be chosen upon completion]

The pack slowly approached the peach tree, full of what appeared to be its fruits – countless miniature heads, all lamenting and calling for help.  
"What are those..." Kagome whispered, a shiver of horror running through her body  
"They smell human." Shippou informed the two humans of the group, as they hadn't the canine's sense of smell

"That's because we were human." on the multitude of heads on the tree answered "Before we were eaten by the sennin..."  
"All of us, tired of this world, gave up on the village and traveled the mountain in search of the sennin, whose garden is said to be a paradise..." another explained  
"But instead when we found Toukajin the sennin, he ate us, making us into this." a third one went on

"Tch. Giving up on the world indeed." InuYasha grumbled with distaste "You sure complain a lot for people who'd given up."  
Kagome frowned, turning her head toward InuYasha to give him a piece of her mind about his in-sensitiveness – only to catch their alpha's gaze, who seemed a bit more focused than usual. Wondering if the ookami knew something she didn't, she instead asked the head "Is there anything we can do?"

"It's to late for us," the first head to have spoken to them denied "but perhaps some of the villagers are still alive..."  
"Well," Miroku commented "if that's the case, then we'll save them, you have our word."  
"What will happen to you then?" Kagome couldn't help but ask, still thorn by the heart-wrenching cries of the desperate souls bound to the tree

"Our bones became the fertilizer for this tree, and we became nin-menka, the fruits of eternal life of Toukajin."  
"Well," InuYasha commented, still frowning yet clearly not liking the story they were hearing anymore than the rest of the pack "he may call himself a sennin, this sure sounds a lot like a youkai to me!"  
With that, he turned his his head toward the traditional house perched higher on the mountain's flank "Let's get to it, then! We haven't got all day."

"Let's." Tsukiko nodded, clearly just as resolved as her uncle  
With a bark, Padfoot had grown to his larger form, and was clearly waiting for the two humans to hop on – and in one powerful jump, they were off.  
"Why I'm not against it," Miroku remarked, "I don't understand why we're suddenly is such a rush?"  
Kagome frowned – now that she thought about it, the answer was fairly evident, but it really wasn't her place to say, wasn't it?

InuYasha was the one to answer, to her surprise – he really had started to trust them, hadn't he "Tonight's the new moon."  
The priest opened his mouth to ask more – then closed it, remembering their discussion about Naraku's weakness, and realizing that InuYasha had just revealed his own. With a nod he smiled "Well, let's be quick about it, then."  
"There's a second entrance!" Shippou realized at that moment from his spot of Tsukiko's shoulder

The ookami used her youki to change her path, landing on the small patch of greenery, where indeed there was an opening leading into the mountain's depths.  
The rest of the pack had soon landed by her side "Well? Shall we head in?"  
"It would be faster to go by the main entrance." InuYasha grumbled  
"Yes, but this way we do have the surprise on our side." Miroku pointed out calmly

With that, they left the day-light and headed into the narrow gallery that was descending into darkness.  
Within a few minutes, they had reached a large cave, clearly in used as large clay pots were lining the walls, and an ornate table with strangely detailed miniature garden was sit in the middle of the space.

"There's people moving in this garden!" Kagome realized, eyes widening in horror  
"I think we've found the villagers Toukajin took away..." Miroku commented by her side  
"Wait... are they becoming larger?" Kagome wondered, before realizing "No, we're the ones growing small!"  
Too late – the two of them had already been taken by the spell, and were falling down, and down, into Toukajin's false paradise garden...

 **[Bonus goal complete!** (50+25)XP  
 **Bonus goal update:** get out of Toukajin's garden]

On the outside of the garden, InuYasha let out a panicked shout "Kagome! Miroku!"  
"Calm down, oji-san. They'll be alright." the wolf princess affirmed, while bending down to pick Kagome's necklace with the phial in which she kept the shards – apparently, the spell on the garden hadn't been able to cope with the purified shards, and as such they had been left behind  
"How can you stay that calm?" the hanyou protested

Tsukiko's tails twitched, and the beta calmed down, abruptly realizing that his niece wasn't any less worried than he was, but was simply hiding it better.  
"They've already been taken by the garden's spell, and getting caught too wouldn't help them. Both have made great strides with their reiki, they should be ale to get out of this by themselves. Meanwhile, we've got another problem."

Finally calm too, the hanyou immediately realized what she meant – a smell was growing stronger, and he could hear the sound of footsteps.  
Seemed like they didn't need to search for Toukajin any longer, for the man-eating sennin was coming to them himself.  
By the time Toukajin entered the cave, Shippou and InuYasha had had more than enough time to hide themselves on each side of the entrance, and attacked as one.

 **[Goal complete!** +25XP  
 **Goal update:** defeat Toukajin]

 **[Level up!** Shippou is now level 79!  
 _+1SP]_

Only for the hanyou's blade to bounce on the barely human looking sennin, while Shippou's flame seemed to melt away without doing any damages.  
"Oh, what a nice surprise! Here I was, searching for dinner, when it came to me by himself!" the  
sennin commented, leering at both "I'll pickle the hanyou! And I'll roast the kit!"  
"I've no intention to be eaten by someone like you!" retorted Shippou with far more bravado than he felt, unnerved as he was by how ineffective his flames had been

"Stupid youkai! Do you really think you could beat a sennin!" the other laughed, as yet another of InuYasha's attack bounced off  
With that, he grabbed something in his clothes, and threw it toward them – flowers, the kit realized, a bit surprised. What was that suppose to do?  
"Did you think this would blind us?" InuYasha taunted, knowing his attacks weren't working but still keeping at it to at least annoy the other  
"Why don't you take a closer look?" the sennin taunted  
Brash as he was, the hanyou would have probably fallen for it – if he hadn't just seen two of his pack-mates shrunken down and trapped in a miniature garden. As it was, neither him nor Shippou let themselves distracted, and now knowing the flowers were bewitched, avoided looking at them directly.

"Ah well, you're not as stupid as I thought." Toukajin admitted, as his spell failed "But no matter, you can't win!"  
With that, he raised his stick, far more agile and fast than any of them had thought possible, aiming at InuYasha. The hanyou could have dodged – except, he realized, that just behind him was the table on which the miniature garden was placed, and he didn't know what would happen to Kagome and Miroku if it was damaged. Not having enough time to parry with his sword, that left only one solution – InuYasha jumped toward the attack, the thorns of the vine wound around the stick biting into both clothes and flesh, leaving a heavily bleeding mark on his shoulder, an injury much deeper than it had any right to be.

And suddenly – he understood a bit of the sennin's unnatural resistance – for the only thing that could damage a youkai like this...  
"Holy powers. What kind of twisted sennin are you, to eat humans and look like a youkai?" he taunted, still able to fight despite his wound – using the time he could gain by talking to warn Shippou about the table  
"What's your problem! The strong eat the weak, that's how life work!" the sennin retorted "You should understand that as a youkai!"  
"Tchh. I'm not weak enough to need eating the flesh of sentient creature, you pathetic human being."

Meanwhile, Shippou had read the beta's message, and slipped behind the sennin, launching another ball of Fox Fire at the man, turning his attention toward him before rushing away in the caves and tunnels, in order to take the sennin away from the garden.  
Sure enough, between the hanyou's taunting, and the kit's antics, they had soon led their enemy further in the depths of his lair, leaving the miniature garden under Tsukiko's protection.

Of course, they weren't any nearer from defeating the sennin as his powers, far too similar to reiki, were clearly enhanced by the Shikon shard he had absorbed, and protected him quite effectively from their youki, while worsening all of his attacks against them.  
Their best chance, right now, was to hold on until Kagome and Miroku freed themselves from the cursed garden, and hope that they didn't take too long – for the kit could tell that the night would soon be falling...

¤.¤.¤

Kagome and Miroku dusted themselves after their long, but thankfully painless fall, and looked around them. On one side, a small hut and a field with vegetables flourishing, a river cutting the landscape, with a wooden bridge arching over the two banks, and a large peach tree on top of a nearby hill.  
Just like the head on the tree had said, this was a paradise for the destitute farm hands that lived in this era of war and starvation.  
Of course, both of them knew better – this was no paradise, but a pen for the sick sennin's herd of humans.

"How can we get out of here?"  
It was Kagome who had an inkling about the answer first.  
"By undoing whatever wards are on this place." she announced, remembering about the wards placed on Tessaiga in Inu no Taisho's grave "This no spell, as a spell effect is punctual. There must be an anchorage for the wards somewhere." her eyes, and those or Miroku strayed toward the peach tree at once

It was only logical after all – this was the biggest thing around, and, they realized as they neared the tree's trunk, this was were the remaining of the villagers were. Except said villagers didn't even react at their presence, some sagging against the tree, others walking aimlessly, all sharing the same vacant look.  
"I see." Miroku was soon saying, pointing a some seeds on the ground around the men "I think this happened to them when they ate those fruit."  
"No eating the peaches then." Kagome nodded, before adding with a faint air of disgust "No matter, see that tree earlier put me off them for the foreseeable future I think."

The houshi nodded his agreement, and they went about looking for anything that looked like an anchor for the spell.  
After a few moments of unsuccessful searching, both holy servants were pulled out of their search by a sound – familiar, but surprising.  
A bark – not any bark, to be precise...  
"Padfoot! Why are you here?" Tsukiko wondered, despite knowing the dog didn't have any way to answer

And indeed, the Grimm didn't give any clear answer, instead grabbing her by the sleeve, and pulling her nearer the tree, before barking again.  
This time, she saw what he wanted her to see.  
Padfoot was a holy servant, just like her – but his powers were more offensive, she knew that much. What she hadn't realized until now was that the Grimm could imbue his voice with reiki, and the tree was reacting to each bark as if it was an attack, a protective rope invisible until now made visible around the tree's trunk, glowing a sickly purple.  
A color the young miko had heard about during those multiple lessons on the road, but not yet seen – corrupted holy powers.

"Well," Miroku commented, having seen it just like her "Seems like the tree itself is the anchor, and it is protected."  
"Unwinding the protection, then the wards itself would take hours." Kagome sighed  
"It would." the priest confirmed "But from what I managed to decrypt when Padfoot barked, I'm pretty sure brute force could work here."

"How so?"  
"Between the three of us we've got a lot of holy powers available, something the sennin probably didn't count on." Miroku went on explaining "We could overcharge the protection, which would make it unstable."  
"And it would explode." the teenage girl understood, remembering how a few of her training sutra had ended up as she still had trouble controlling how much power she used from time to time

"Exactly."  
"What are we waiting for then?"  
"We've got to get these men away first." the older man reminded her "Or they'll be caught in the explosion."  
Kagome's cheek reddened as she realized the error she had nearly made, then they went to work, dragging the unresponsive men away from the peach tree.

"Do you think they'll be back to normal once we're free?" she asked worriedly as they finally laid the last of them near the river  
"I doubt it." the houshi answered truthfully "Because they ate those fruit, there's part of the curse inside them. But using reiki to heal them should work."  
"Good." she nodded  
Having saved them from getting eaten by the sennin, only for them to be stuck eternally in a daze would have been too cruel a fate...  
Taking a break to get their wind back, the three of them were soon back to the now farmer-free peach tree.

Kagome had wondered about using her bow, so that they weren't too close to the explosion, but they had to sustain a continuous attack, which the nanigata allowed, but the bow didn't. They would near the heart of the explosion, they realized – and while each knew how to make a barrier, they would be too weak individually to work.  
The solution was to combine their attack, sustaining it until the barrier broke – and then combine their barrier, and pray they were fast enough to weather the explosion...  
So Padfoot was soon on her left, letting out a long lugubrious howl, and supernatural shadows answered to his call, curling around him and swirling in sync with Kagome's reiki around her weapon, soon joined by a wave of water glowing turquoise under the pulse of the houriki it was charged with.

Their newly unlocked **Synergy** **Skill** may not be all that high, none of them having it a more than 10 points, it was still more than enough – the attack enhanced by the skill and raging against the barrier that protected the peach tree was clearly stronger than several separate attacks would have been.  
The miko was keeping an eye on her reiki points while sustaining the attack, seeing as it was going under the halfway point – then soon three-quarter empty.

And finally, the barrier gave way – and the three of them dropped their attack to switch to a barrier, Miroku's new element proving much more powerful in that task than as an offensive force, thankfully – for without the water bubble enhanced with her and Padfoot's reiki, none of them would have survived, Kagome realized as the light replaced the garden...

With that, the dark cave they had been in before the garden appeared, and they dropped to the ground, drained of any energy.  
"Well done." Tsukiko was there, waiting for them – and smiling as if she never doubted they would made it out

 **[Bonus goal complete!** (50+25)XP  
 **Bonus goal reward:** (50+25)XP, 1 Enchancement stone to be chosen]

 **[Level up!** Kagome is now level 90!  
 _+1SP, +1PP, +2CP]_  
 **[Level up!** Miroku is now level 73!  
 _+1SP]_

Dismissing then notification with practiced ease, Kagome looked around her "Where are InuYasha and Shippou?"  
"Stalling for time." the alpha answered easily "But I don't think you're in any state to help them."  
"Well, we'll have to anyway, won't we?" sighed Miroku as he heaved himself up thanks to his shakujou "Given this sennin is using corrupted houriki, I don't think they'll be able to win this fight."

Kagome eyed their pack-mate oddly, while dragging herself up too – then realized that even if Miroku had so seamlessly adapted himself to their pack that she had forgotten that it hadn't been all that long since he'd started traveling with them...  
Just like he hadn't known about InuYasha's weakness on the new moon, he hadn't yet been confronted with the wolf princess's uncanny ability to use reiki – oh, sure enough, he'd seen her heal her beta and her father after their fight, but by that point he had been delirious thanks to the saimyoushou's poison and had probably forgotten all about it...

With a shrug, she followed the houshi who was already heading toward the tunnel that lead deeper into the sennin's delve, and the faint sound of fighting they could hear.  
They would do their best – and if their best wasn't enough, she knew their alpha would be there to save hem, and help them to better the next time.  
With that, they were soon at the lower point of the lair's, in a small dusty room where InuYasha and Shippou were still fighting, but visibly tiring.  
The vines on Toukajin's weapon had left behind dangerous wounds, but even if the youkai weapon weren't working against the sennin, he was still tiring, clearly not used to move around so much...

"He barely look human!" Kagome whispered, eyes widening as she saw the potbellied man, with an unnaturally large mouth full of sharpened teeth  
"He was so evil he started to loose his humanity..." Miroku understood by her side, leaning heavily on his shakujou "Rather than a youkai, this is an oni!"  
"Tch! I wanted to get rid of the weakness than was humanity!" said oni answered "Because those pathetic creature crawl the earth struggling to survive and die in their dirt! So I studied under the pathetic sennin who lived here, and when I knew enough, I ate him, becoming all powerful!"

His demented laughter was interrupted by Tsukiko's voice, the ookami carrying a potted flower where one more head was visible "Not all powerful." she pointed at the old head who was having difficultly opening his eyes "Otherwise you wouldn't have kept the old sennin's head, would you?"  
"The old fool stubbornly refuse to give up the secret of his immortality!" the crazed man admitted easily "But it doesn't matter, as long as I have my nin-menka, I'll be immortal and with this Shikon shard, I'm invincible!"

"It's true the old sennin was unnaturally old for a human." the young goddess acknowledged easily – the mad man in front of her not even wondering about how she knew this "But that was just the result of his developed holy powers. Had you continued to follow his teachings you would have live well into your two hundreds."  
Kagome's eyes widened at that affirmation – even in her time period that was really old for a human, no wonder the people of the sengoku jidai had thought the previous hermit immortal...

"Why waste my time studying when I could have so much better, way faster!"  
"You did add the innocent's whom you ate' lifetime to your own by making them into those perverted fruits." was Tsukiko's acknowledgment as she effortlessly avoided the attack haphazardly coming toward her

¤.¤.¤

"Oh," Shippou realized, the kit having fallen back by Kagome and Miroku's side "This is why Tsuki-chan is angry..."  
"What do you mean?" Miroku wondered, bemused by the change that he was witnessing for the first time  
"The gaki isn't a normal youkai." InuYasha was the one to say as he too had been sent back by his alpha – he hadn't been able to protest, as the sun had just set and with it, the change had came, making him realize how deep truly were his wounds "And there are few things that set her off, but playing with people's souls and life... That's a sure way to make her mad."

"And a mad Tsuki-chan is scary. I wouldn't want to make her mad." Shippou affirmed with as much serious as the kit was able to gather  
While they were saying this, said scary alpha had steadily made her way toward the corrupted sennin, and finally, KageShin was taken out of it's sheath, the dark blade heavy with power.  
Because he was far better trained than both InuYasha and Kagome had been the first time they'd seen the blade, it was easy for him to feel that the power their alpha was far different than usual...

And once more, the blade charged with reiki went through her enemy without shedding any blood – yet light filled the area, as the souls stolen to expand his lifespan were finally freed.  
The second time KageShin struck, she was humming with youki, and this time, blood was shed, and the sennin fell to the ground, not able to cheat Death anymore.

 **[Secondary Quest Complete!**  
 **Reward:** +25 XP, +1 Beginner Skill book to be chosen]

 **[Level up!** Shippou is now level 81!  
 _+2SP, +2CP, +1PP]  
_ **[Level up!** InuYasha is now level 121!  
 _+1SP]_

With the sennin's death, they felt the spells sustained by him unraveling – and in a nearby jar that had bee broken down during the fall, the horrifying head-fruit were now simple peaches...  
"You have my gratitude, Seishi-hime-sama."  
The young goddess's eyes widened minutely at the appellation the old sennin granted her

"I hadn't heard that title in a long title." she couldn't help but admit, amused that an old human holy servant and an old tengu youkai had both given her the same title once they'd understood who she was  
"It may not be much, but let me grant you one last gift, for having freed us all..."  
Before she could protest, the old sennin had disappeared in a flash of reiki, leaving behind him a single leave...

 **[Hidden Quest complete! The last gift of a sennin...**  
 _For freeing him and the villagers, the old sennin left a gift behind for you_  
 **Reward:** +100XP, unlocks **A Sennin's Gift** Perk _(+10 to Wood Affinity)_ ]

Tsukiko bent down to pick up the leave left behind, eyes widening minutely as she felt the last of the reiki imbued in it course through it and change it as left the ground. By the time it was at eye level, the leaf had changed into a small metallic charm brightly enameled, and a quick observe soon explained just what exactly she'd been gifted...

 **[Leaf Healing Charm (LV150):** you can heal someone that wouldn't otherwise survive once, using ten of your HP and RP to grant back 1 HP]

With a mute thanks to the departed holy man, she quickly pocketed the charm, having one more reason to notch up her training – after all, you never knew when something like that would be necessary...  
The exhausted group had still managed to help the freed farmers before leaving the area, none of them wanting to spent any more time than necessary close to the peach tree that had been cursed or the now empty retreat in the mountain.

Tsukiko had been surprised when Miroku had asked no questions about her powers – but then again the houshi had learned about his powers for far longer than Kagome, and was no slouch with them, it was even possible he'd already guessed at her identity – as if to confirm her suspicions, it was only several day later, while InuYasha was busy training Shippou that he approached her "So... Seishi-hime?"  
"Some do gave me the title." she admitted easily, having never gone out of her way to hide her true nature  
"Are you their daughter?"

This time she laughed, before correcting "Death's my brother. But I guess that title is misleading..." she admitted "They call me Shadow, protector of the the heroes..."  
"You have a far more hands-on approach than the others."  
"I'm also far less powerful." she explained easily "And as you can guess, my powers are restricted."  
"Makes sense. Well... You are even more of a hime-sama than I knew, eh?"

"If you try and give me those lengthy title again I will get back at you!" the young goddess threatened with a smile  
"What title? The only one I know about is alpha, isn't it?"  
"As it should be." she confirmed with a smile

They had headed back toward the north, and Edo without using their **Recall** option, taking advantage of the village they went through to keep an ear out for other shards.  
They were less than three days away from their village when they happened on a small farm where the corpse of a large centipede demon was decaying.  
It was a tajiya, a demon-hunter, who'd killed it, the farmer had been all too happy to explain, she'd accepted no payment, only taking a few claws and a bit of the shell before leaving.

And more importantly, taking with her the Shikon shard that had been stuck in the demon, and made it attack whereas it had been leaving peacefully nearby up until now.  
The greater surprise, however, was the tajiya affirmation as she'd taken the shard...  
"It was originally from my village..." a thoughtful Kagome repeated "You know, I hadn't thought about the jewel's origin before it came into Kikyou's hands..."

The rest of the pack was thoughtful too – InuYasha had only heard about the jewel when it was already in Kikyou's possession, Shippou once it was broken, Miroku in the context of Naraku's desire of it; as for Tsukiko all she knew was that Kagome was born as it's protector...  
"Well," the young miko said with regained enthusiasm "I guess we've got our next destination!"

Said destination, it turned out, was harder to find than they thought – all the villagers knew about the tajiyas' village was that it was somewhere in the mountain.  
With that information, Kagome ability to sense the shards, and the youkai enhanced senses, they had started to search the area.  
It had taken them a few days, but finally the pack was on what they thought was the track to the youkai hunters village when all suddenly felt a multitude of aura, as an army of fast moving youkai crossed the sky above them, blood-lust clear to be felt by all and heading in the direction of the village they were searching from.  
Without even needing to consult between them, Kagome and Miroku were already on Padfoot back, and the youkai picked up their speed.

"This is no good." InuYasha's voice wasn't cut by the wind, thanks to the Pack's vocal chat "Tajiya or not, they won't stand a chance against so many of them..."  
Tsukiko frowned, silently agreeing – and decision taken, turned toward her beta "I'll go ahead to help."  
"We'll be right behind you." the hanyou promised, understanding easily he was now the one in charge of protecting their small group  
Kagome smiled – she wasn't really surprised, her childhood friend did have the habit of letting them solve their fights by themselves, but right now, there were the life of a whole village in the balance. The ookami wouldn't hold back at such a heavy cost.

¤.¤.¤

Youki tinted with reiki pulsed through the air, and mid-jump, the elegant heiress was replaced by a magnificent beast, nearly as tall as the trees in the forest around them, white fur mared only by her pack marking and bright eyes glowing green – Kagome and Miroku were both speechless as they saw for the first time a daiyoukai taking on its animal form.  
As for InuYasha, even if he was just as impressed – he couldn't help but snort "Tch. She looks more like a kitsune. And she really is a cub!"

He wasn't wrong, they realized – once you looked past the large size, a few details in her proportions made it quite evident their alpha was far from adult.  
By the next jump, she had disappeared in a burst of black flames – reappearing a few dozen of meters ahead, and quickly gaining back the ground they'd lost on the youkai army.  
InuYasha and Padfoot shared a look, and both accelerated – knowing they wouldn't catch up with her, but set on not making her wait a second more than necessary.  
Tsukiko didn't catch up with the swarm of youkai before they'd reach a fortress which apparently was the tajiya village.

With their numbers, they went ran through the armored doors in a few seconds, taking the small village by complete surprise – still this was a fighters village, and soon weapons were found and people were fighting back.  
Clearing several dozen of low-level youkai in a few swipe of her paws, she let herself get back to her usual appearance, youki condensing around her as she shrunk down, her human-form more practical now that the villagers were entering the fray. A few of the youkai were coherent enough to try a flee when they recognized her marking, but most were barely coherent, feral beasts.  
KageShin humming with reiki, she started to fight, each youkai having the misfortune to get touched by the weapon dissolving in dust under her potent holy powers, but three more taking the place of each she downed.

Within minutes she was covered in blood, fire in one hand, blade in the other, several of the villagers around her – countless more on the ground, never to get up.  
By the time her pack arrived, nearly half the swarm had been cut down – and as soon as Miroku's kazaana was opened, they had the nasty surprise to realize there had been saimyoushou's among the youkai all along.

Miroku sealed his cursed hand as soon as he could, already feeling the poison doing it's work, but hanging on as best as he could – a message from his alpha on the chat, and he was gathering those that couldn't fight and protecting them with a barrier, Kagome soon joining him to heal the injured while InuYasha laid waste to the enemies with his Kaze no Kizu and Padfoot disappeared through the shadows to join back with his mistress.  
The pack fought through the night by the dwindling number of tajiyas' side.  
When the next sunrise came, there wasn't a hostile youkai alive around the village – but they had lost nearly thee-quarter of their fighters, and half the children.

 **[Hidden Challenge Complete! To prevent a genocide...**  
 _You managed to prevent Naraku from destroying the village of the tajiyas_  
 **Reward:** +100XP, +1 tajiya piece of equipment to be chosen  
 **Bonus goal failed:** Naraku managed to steal the the Shikon shards of the village  
 **Bonus goal complete!** _A future protected_ (you saved half of the children)  
 **Bonus goal reward:** (200+100)XP, one tajiya piece of equipment to be chosen]

 **[Level up!** You are now level 145!  
 _+1SP]  
_ **[Level up!** Kagome is now level 96!  
 _+4SP, +2CP]_  
 **[Level up!** InuYasha is now level 124!  
 _+2SP]_  
 **[Level up!** Shippou is now level 84!  
 _+2SP, +2CP, +1PP]_  
 **[Level up!** Miroku is now level 81!  
 _+6SP, +2CP, +1PP]_

The pack ignored the notifications, not in any mood to see what kind of reward the game had awarded them – this, they all felt, clearly wasn't a victory, it was just a barely managed disaster...  
The few that were still standing up started the clean straight up, working through the morning to dump the youkai corpses out of the bailey and gather their dead for funeral.  
It was only as the afternoon was well advanced that they finally managed to sit down and rest a bit.

"You have our gratitude, strangers." the man who apparently was their leader said "I'm Hisashi, leader of this village in the absence of my brother, and without your assistance, we'd all be dead by now. But if you'll forgive my curiosity, why did you help us?"  
"We were looking for you to be honest." Tsukiko explained "We'd heard rumor of a tajiya collecting Shikon shards and something struck us as odd... "  
At the mention of the shards, the man had tensed, but he motioned for her to continue.

"The fact the girl said that the Shikon no Tama was originally from her village." the young alpha completed "That's when we realized we'd been gathering the shards, but knew nothing about their origin..."  
"You're gathering the shards? You look awfully sane for a youkai with one of those, if you'll pardon me saying this." a confused frown "Then again I've never seen a youkai using reiki before."  
"My reiki would probably protect me." Tsukiko confirmed "But we're not using the shards, we're gathering them back for the Shikon Miko."

"The Shikon Miko is dead."the temporary village head protested "She's been dead for fifty years!"  
"We're not talking about Kikyou, old man!" InuYasha finally burst "Open your eyes, there's one miko just here with clean shards around her neck! As far as I know the Shikon Miko is the only one who can purify this blasted piece of jewelry so easily!"  
Kagome blushed as all eyes turned to her after that outburst – but despite his coarse language, the hanyou was right, and Hisashi soon admitted as much.

As they finally rested, the pack had soon been swarmed by the children, who were growing restless, and among them they met with Kirara, who was a nekomata, just like Saiyuri's Arashi, but linked to the fire rather than electricity like their friend was – and on the large cat's back, Myouga, the flea-demon having apparently been living with the tajiya's for a few weeks.

"Uh, and here I thought you'd ran away because we ended up in too many dangerous situations..." InuYasha mused  
"I thought it was because he was afraid of Tsuki-chan." contradicted Shippou  
"You wound me! I always have InuYasha-sama best interest at heart!"  
The affirmation was made by four coordinated snort, and even Miroku, who'd never seen the youkai retainer before, looked dubious "You know, I didn't think I'd say this but... As a retainer, even Rouyakan looks more reliable!"

"Indeed." Tsukiko nodded "I talked about it with father when we were back home, and from what he remember from his childhood, Myouga has always been a coward but he's rather effective when it comes to gathering information."  
"Oh. I wonder what possessed Inu no Taishou to entrust him with InuYasha's upbringing then..." Kagome commented  
"Well it mustn't have been easy to find a youkai unbiased enough against his hanyou son..." Tsukiko speculated "Youkai were even more against hanyou back then than in the sengoku jidai."

The pack had decided to stay for a few days – there was no way they'd abandoned the village when any low-level youkai passing by would be a heavy risk against them with how weakened they were.  
"Our best warrior were called away on a job just before the attack." the acting chief explained the next day while he was working with InuYasha at restoring the outer wall "I wonder if it was a trap..."

"The timing is too damn convenient." the hanyou agreed "They are probably dead."  
"Probably." Hisashi tiredly admitted – the last couple of days had been hard on everybody, and those kind of circumstances made people understand each other much quicker than usual – it was easy for him to see that behind his coarse language the hanyou was making him a kindness in his own way by preparing him to the inevitable

¤.¤.¤

It was on the morning of the third day that Kagome's senses stirred "There's a Shikon shard approaching!"  
The pack and the warriors were soon ready to fight – with the past events, they weren't taking any risks...True enough, a figure was soon spotted making her way to the fort, taking the ravaged landscape around her with hard eyes.  
"InuYasha! I've come to kill you, you murderer!"

"This is Sango!" Hisashi recognized, eyes widening "My brother's eldest and the village best youkai slayer."  
"What is her problem with me?" the hanyou muttered, already guessing that something was off  
"Naraku, more than likely." Kagome confirmed his bad feeling "There's a shard in her body."  
"And she heavily wounded." Tsukiko completed

While they were wondering about the new-comer, she'd lost patience, and the heavy looking boomerang on her back was now flying toward the fort's newly repaired doors "How dare you use my ancestral home for your nefarious plot!"  
With a commanding gesture, Miroku sent a wall of water to stop the wooden splinter, protecting the villagers from the door's destruction.  
"Sango, calm down!" Hisashi pleaded as the girl was taking a hold on her weapon once more "You are attacking our savior!"  
Seeing her uncle appear stopped the young tajiya in her tracks.

"What is the meaning of this?" she turned toward the woods, where a second presence had been hidden until now "You told me the hanyou destroyed my village, yet here is my uncle!"  
"Lies! It must be a shapeshifter!" Naraku answered easily "Don't let yourself be fooled by them!"  
"He's the one fooling you!" Miroku affirmed, the houshi glaring at his nemesis

Seeing that his temporary ally was visibly hesitating, Naraku dropped down all pretenses "useless girl!" with that, a wooden tentacle lashed at her back, making her cry in agony and the kumo hanyou was attacking them  
The pack members had immediately jumped into the fight, while Tsukiko was heading toward the injured girl "You've got a tainted shard in your body." she warned her "If I don't take it out, it's corrupt you. But if I do take it out, you'll bleed out faster."  
"Take it out." Sango decided without missing a beat, eyes set on the destroyed door that let her see several of the surviving warriors

The ookami nodded – and started healing the girl the moment the shard was out "I'm not all that good at it." she warned "You'll scar, but you'll live."  
"Fair enough. I don't even understand how a youkai is able to heal me."  
"Tsukiko-hime posses reiki." her uncle, who'd taken this time to approach, explained "Without her and her pack we would all have died."

"It was probably Naraku's plan." the young hime sighed "After all, he is after the shards."  
"Tell me child," Hisashi asked, not able to resist anymore "What of the others?"  
"Dead." Sango announced, eyes hard "A spider controlled Kohaku and turned him against us. There was nothing we could do."  
"Damn that kumo hanyou." Tsukiko swore "He's leaving only tears and despair wherever he goes..."  
"I'll kill him." the young tajiya pledged by her side "One way or another."

"You'll have to get in line." the one healing her warned, gesturing at the fight happening not too far "He's already made a few enemies."  
Sango fixed her attention on the fight – the pack was fighting well together, knowing to avoid when InuYasha unleashed his Kaze no Kizu, and having cornered their enemy.  
But something was off, as Naraku was regenerating against and again this new wooden body, seemingly uncaring about their attacks.  
"Aren't you worried about them?" Sango couldn't help but ask  
"I am." Tsukiko contradicted "But I also believe in them. With the training they've done, they should soon see the truth..."

And sure enough, she'd barely affirmed her trust in her pack that Kagome shouted "That's not Naraku!"  
Rather than disbelieving her, they all listened, as she explained "That was bothering me... He doesn't have his own youki..."  
They widened their eyes – true enough, they were having problem to fight because they couldn't predict Naraku's movements because of the lack of indications the youki or reiki usually gave in a fight.

"This is a puppet, just like an advanced shikigami!" the young miko proclaimed as if they'd already won – and in a way, they had  
Because now, they knew how to fight back.  
"See." Tsukiko told Sango a bit farther away

Sango smiled a bit teary-eyed at the perfect teamwork, who reminded her so much of her now dead family – her mother having passed away several years earlier in a fight against a youkai.  
It took a few more minutes for the pack to identify where was the fake Naraku source of existence – and after that Shippou and Kagome distracted the enemy, Miroku shielding them, while InuYasha destroyed the wooden puppet on which the spell had been engraved.

 **[Hunting Complete! Naraku's puppet  
Reward:** +50XP, +2 Hunting Trophy]

They shared a victorious smile at that – this was a reward they didn't mind receiving!  
Tension fleeing out of her body, Sango finally passed out in the arms of her uncle.

The young tajiya had slept for three days.  
In this time, the pack had continued helping with the reconstruction, InuYasha working of the most hands-on aspects, Miroku helping created protecting wards that would warn and defend the villagers like a second wall if such an attack was to happen again, Kagome taking care of the injured while Shippou and Padfoot were entertaining the children, and teaching them the basics of fighting at the same time. As for Tsukiko, she was everywhere, determined just like her friends to help the small village who'd already suffered so much because of Naraku's ambition.

Once Sango had finally awakened, in a village that wasn't healed – but would eventually be better, she had spent a long afternoon with the village warriors and Shadow's pack exchanging stories about Naraku, the attack on the village and the hired warriors, and even about the small pack and the reason behind their travels.  
"Let me come with you."  
"Sango! You can't mean that!" Hisashi protested immediately "Who's going to lead the village if you leave?"

"You're already doing of fine job oji-san, and..." her eyes clouded for a moment "I must see that Naraku dead, I won't be at peace for as long as he breathe."  
With a sigh, Hisashi nodded, seeing the truth in the last of his family's eyes "So be it."  
"And Naraku really seemed to believe the village was destroyed. Since the puppet was basic enough, he probably doesn't know what it saw."  
"In other words for now he probably believe we're dead."

"Exactly. Take advantage of this. Train, make the village stronger."  
"So that such a tragedy doesn't happen a second time."Hisashi nodded, a new resolve in his eyes "I will."  
With that, the tajiya turned toward Tsukiko "So. Will you have me, Tsukiko-hime?"  
"We won't refuse a traveling companion." the ookami acknowledged "And maybe in time, we'll even become friends."  
"Thank you."

Sango bowed deeply, only to be stopped by the ookami, "But if you're going to travel with us you're going to have to stop with all those formalities!"  
"It's a never ending fight isn't it, alpha!" smiled Miroku, amused at how a few week earlier only, it had been him being admonished for being too polite  
With that talk, there were only two things left before the pack and their new companion left the town – the first had been the unanimous decision of making the tajiya village the second Recall Point they had recently unlocked, just in case.  
The second was the original reason why they'd come.

¤.¤.¤

Sango took them to the workshop first, where youkai parts were worked on to become armor or weapon for the tajiya – but before they were ready to use, the newly crafted items first spent several months being purified in a nearby cave.  
It was there the girl took them next.  
Eyeing warily the entrance of said cave, Kagome had soon been left behind by most of the group.  
"I've got a bad feeling about this..." she couldn't help but protest as she finally stepped in, Tsukiko by her side

The cave was unsurprisingly filled with youkai bones – but if by the entrance those were man-made weapons and armors, they soon turned into a horrific landscape as they headed further in, culminating in a mummified silhouette half absorbed by a monstrous youkai. They all looked as if they had been petrified mid-fight, and where the mummified form should have a heart, only a gaping hole was visible...

"This is a story that dates back to several centuries ago," Sango started, gaze set of the frozen form wearing what looked to be an old samurai armor "during an era of instability and starvation that makes what we are living thought nowadays seems like a paradise."  
She was talking about the end of the Kamakura period, Kagome realized with a start – when the centralized government of the era had fallen, leading to the beginning of the Muromachi period, which would later become known as the Sengoku Jidai – the warring-state era.  
Once more, the myth was far more anchored in History than she'd known...

"Countless humans were dying, be it from hunger or war, and youkai numbers were on the rise. This, in turn, led to the birth of holy beings to fight then. Among them, the more famous..."  
"The miko-warrior Midoriko." Tsukiko breathed, ayes widening – the legendary figure had been but mentioned in the Holy Servant Main course, but she knew they talked more in depth about her in the Advanced one  
Sango was surprised that the ookami was the one to guess whom she was talking about, but she nodded her confirmation nonetheless.  
"Against youkai, she was as effective as a hundred samurai, powerful enough to overcome as much as ten enemies at once, and skilled enough to purify humans, animals, trees and rocks souls."

Of course, this affirmation made all the holy servants present react – and Miroku was the one to make the link "In Shinto, there's a way of thinking that says that the four souls... the shikon...are what becomes the spirit when balanced correctly."  
"Courage, kinship, wisdom and love." Tsukiko took over "Ara-mitama, nigi-mitama, kushi-mitama and saki-mitama. A correct balance between the four must be maintained, or your heart becomes tainted with evil."  
Once more, Sango was eyeing the pack's alpha oddly, surprised to see a youkai with such knowledge, even one possessing reiki. But she had promised a story, and so she forged on "Midoriko-sama had such a keen understanding of the shikon that she could even nullify a youkai's power. Of course, this was something they feared and despise, so they started to target her."

The young tajiya turned her eyes back to the frozen youkai and lone miko "But she was too powerful, and they were always purified before even hurting her. So countless youkai allied themselves, and together the merged, becoming one youkai much more powerful than they'd been when apart..."  
She pointed at a startlingly human head sticking out of the monstrous youkai's body "To do so, they needed an anchor, one that was given in the form of a man who secretly loved Midoriko. Taking advantage of his weakness, they possessed him and were reborn..."

All of the pack was swift to realize why the story sounded so familiar – but it was Shippou who whispered, voice clear in the eery silence that had befallen them "Just like Onigumo was reborn as Naraku because of his desire for Kikyou..."  
That affirmation stunned the wounded tajiya, who was about to ask more about it – but with a calming hand on her shoulder, Miroku promised "We'll tell you about it later. Please continue, Sango-san..."

"The battle between miko and youkai last for seven days and seven night," the girl finally started to recount "and finally, Midoriko, exhausted, was absorbed by the youkai, who took over her soul." her eyes were on the hole in the ancient miko's chest "But with the last of her powers, she too seized the youkai's soul as her own soul was forced out of her body. Both youkai and miko died on the spot, frozen in time and soulless, and only the cluster of soul remained, crystallizing into what became known as the Shikon no Tama."

Her eyes darkened, and it appeared the story wasn't yet finished "But even thought their bodies were now dead, both souls were still battling inside the jewel, and it became apparent that the holder of the jewel could sway the fight..."  
"Making it pure as long as it was held by a holy being, and tainting it with evil when a corrupted being used it." Tsukiko guessed – not even realizing that her eyes were glowing green in the dim cave

"Over the years, we've protected the jewel, taking it back each and every time it was stolen," Sango continued, a hint of pride in her voice – which soon disappeared as she went on "The last time was when my grand-father won in back after a deadly battle against a youkai. He died from his wounds, but took the jewel back to the village. Unfortunately, it had been far too corrupted..."  
"And to purify it, you gave it to a powerful miko." Kagome concluded easily enough  
"Precisely. A few years latter, we heard the miko had taken the jewel with her in death... Clearly, this wasn't true..."

"It was true." contradicted Kagome a bit gloomily "It was just brought back later." she may have been told several times that the jewel return to the past had been unavoidable, the fact remained that she still was the one who shattered it – and right now those damn shards were causing so much pain that it was hard not to feel responsible  
"You know, it really seems as if fate is intent on repeating itself, what with the similarities between Midoriko and Kikyou's story..." Shippou pointed out  
"Bah, it mostly seems like that damn stone is trying to manipulate us." InuYasha contradicted "What a joke! If the youkai part of the jewel thinks it'll win once more, it'll be sorely disappointed!"

"Oji-san's right," Tsukiko agreed "Fate's not one to create hopeless situations. Midoriko and Kikyou fought to the end, and each, in her own way, stalled those corrupted youkai. Midoriko by creating the jewel, Kikyou by taking it in death rather than letting herself tainted." at that InuYasha's eyes shone brightly, pride for the woman he'd loved clear to read  
Kagome nodded too, talked out of her slump by the two youkai "True enough. We just have to finish the job they've started then, and put an end to both Naraku, and the jewel."

 **[Hidden Quest Complete! Three time's the charm...**  
 _You've learned about the Shikon no Tama's origin_  
 **Hidden bonus goal complete!**  
 _You've decided to destroy the Shikon no Tama_  
 **Reward:** +100XP, +1 Fate-bound token  
 **Bonus reward:** (200+100)XP, unlocked **Fate's** **Touch** Perk (+7 Luck), holy servants are now **Intuitively** **attuned** ]

 **[System log update:** Holy Affinity

holy servant having gained the favor of a god can gain an affinity for one of their power.  
These ability can be consulted in the _Holy_ _System._ A minor affinity is ranked out of 25, a normal one out of 50, a potent one out of 75 and only holy being themselves, in other words gods, can have affinity ranked out of a 100 like a normal skill.]

[Your skills have been updated!]

 **[Holy Affinity skills:**  
-Soul Art: 100/100* (unlocked at 0/100 in **Hallow** skill)  
-Blood Art: 100/100* (unlocked at 25/100 in **Hallow** skill)  
-Shadow Art: 0/100* (unlocked at 50/100 in **Hallow** skill)  
-Arcane Art: 5/25* (unlocked by being **Spiritually** **attuned)**  
-Fortune Art: 5/25* (unlocked by being **Intuitively** **attuned)** ]

Somehow, reading the quests description drove the point Kagome had just made – and she turned toward InuYasha "Are you alright with this?"  
"Keh! I don't need a fancy jewel changing me in any way!" the hanyou commented without missing a beat  
Kagome, and the rest of the pack, were experimented enough in their beta's way of expressing himself, and naturally gravitated around him, not needing to put it in so much words – but all of them understood that with the tajiya's story, the last of the hanyou's old quest to become a full-blood youkai had been put to rest...

"Well, at least you'll keep the cute ears!" the young miko teased lightly as they headed out of the cave "It's just too bad you won't have fluffy tails to go with it!"  
A part-dubious part contradicting-grunt answered her, awakening her curiosity "You could have tails?"  
"I could manifest them eventually." the hanyou confirmed reluctantly

"Eh! How? Why don't you have them already?"  
"It's got do with what our tails are." Tsukiko explained, having guessed easily enough at what her uncle hinted – and seeing the lack of comprehension in most of her pack "When a daiyoukai takes on his humanoid form, there's an excess of youki present, since we're well, not human. Our tails are the easiest way of storing this excess, and that's why the number of tail is a common representation of our strength."  
"But strength-wise, InuYasha's already three-tailed." pointed out Shippou, even the young youkai looking a bit lost

"Yes, but InuYasha's form is his natural one, so he doesn't need to stock any surplus of youki. That said, as he grows more powerful the situation can and will change."  
"And he'll have the ears and tails! This... will be adorable!" decreed Kagome with all a teenage girl's enthusiasm  
InuYasha looked torn between protesting about the 'cute' and 'adorable' comment and pretend they hadn't even been made – settled on the second solution, ears flattening a bit on his head.

"But how do the youkai without tails manage that youki?" Miroku was already wondering  
"In different ways... horns, wings, any typical feature of their beast form is used most of the time."  
"Most of the time?" Shippou noted

"It is our youki," the alpha reminded him "That's why chichi-ue can manifest only one-tail despite clearly being far more powerful than me. We shape our youki in the easier, and most natural form, but we could probably do something else." she pointed at her hands "I could probably get rid of my claws by stocking more youki in my tails for example," an amused smile "or even manifest ears like oji-san if I wanted... And with a bit of work, of course, since it isn't my usual form." then turning toward Shippou "It's also an excellent, and rather advanced exercise to work on your shape-shifting. I could only change my human appearance to match my canine traits, whereas your ability means your imagination is the limit. Even if for example making yourself look like a ryu daiyoukai won't make you into one..."

The kit nodded his understanding, the lesson on knowing the difference between shifting into something and being something one of the first his alpha had imparted him with.  
While the pack was heading back to the hut they'd been lent for their usage while in the village, Sango, a few steps away from them, couldn't help but feel a point of envy at the easy-going camaraderie and understanding reigning in the eclectic group.

From his position, Miroku could guess at her feelings easily enough - and remember being in the same situation himself not so long ago. But he'd been ready to leave his loneliness behind, whereas the still grieving girl bent on revenge wasn't yet, her physical wounds nearly gone, but not the psychological ones...


	10. Game On 30 IX Becoming Pack

Hey all! It's been a long time ;-)

I hope you all spent good holidays, it was really great for me since my fiance was home, which isn't that often since he's in the merchant navy! Otherwise I'm still swamped in work with our house but I'd say we're half done, hopefully...

\- on a side note: someone told me I've given two different descriptions for Knowledge between 2.0 and 3.0; I'll check it out but I haven't had time to correct it just yet.

hope you enjoy the chapter quite a bit is happening in it; happy new year to everyone!

* * *

 **chapter 9. September 1996 Becoming Pack**

"So... Fate-bound token." Miroku stated, rather than asked once the pack was hidden away in they hut  
"I don't know." shrugged Tsukiko helplessly, eyeing the small coin, bronze-colored rather than the usual silver sheen of the Soul-bound ones "It's the first time I see them too."

An Observe later, all had their answer.  
"Well," Kagome was eventually the one to comment, still a bit wide-eyed "this is one over-powered reward."

 **[Fate-bound token:** you permanently link your weakest characteristic to your Luck; making it impossible for this characteristic to be lower than your Luck]

Tsukiko nodded bemusedly as her Endurance shot up from it's measly 43 to 58 and making her Life Points shot up by a whole quarter – not to mention the hidden quest they'd just completed had also made all of them level up at least once, making Kagome edge on her third tail; and the ookami hime on her fourth.

Of course both Miroku and Kagome had also received the same minor affinity to Fortune; one of Fate's main gifts; and as such had seen their senses evolve just like her – their intuition now border-line premonitions, something Tsukiko was familiar with from her life as Sawada Kazami; who'd known the famed Vongola Intuition had been the remnants of a holy gift?

They had taken the road the next day upon Sango's insistance "The faster we found that bastard, the faster I'll be back home." the young woman had decreed mulishly  
The pack knew better, all understanding than finding and defeating Naraku was more of a long time goal that a few days hunt – but the tajiya wasn't ready to hear that and so they humored her.  
A few days later, the girl looked ready to tear her hair out – she had seen Naraku in his castle, and remembered well enough the journey toward the castle where he'd laid his trap yet somehow both the man's face and the castle emplacement seemed to elude her...

"We understand that it is hard for you, Sango-san;" Miroku was the one to break to her gently "but we'd stand a better chance of finding him again by going after the Shikon shards."  
"You're right." she reluctantly admitted - before the darkened eyes and somber mood were replaced by sheer irritation "But that's no reason for your hand to be going in the direction it is right now!"

While Miroku was making embarrassed and insincere apologies, the rest of the pack was sharing amused glances – the houshi's perverted tendencies had been limited with only Kagome and Tsukiko as he didn't dare make any attempt toward the heiress of the West and knew better than try anything toward her friend with her nearby... but now, poor Sango was bearing the brunt of his tendencies, an that ever since the first time he'd asked her to bear his child – the girl's violent answer had apparently not been enough of a deterrent.

That or InuYasha was right and the priest was a masochist who'd fallen in love with the feeling of being bashed into the ground by Hiraikotsu...  
Still; whatever the reason, the dailies interaction between the two were a never ending source of fun for the rest of the travelers – and more importantly, they also helped the still grieving tajiya to realize that life was going on around her.

No sooner than the next day, the pack had observed a convoy making it's way on the road near which they had stopped for their midday halt. That in itself wouldn't have been that unusual as processions to thank the gods were useful enough – what made them pause was the fact that the convoy was taking a sacrifice to the local divinity.  
A human child, who clearly wasn't the first to be given away to appease Suijin-sama, the god of water inhabiting the nearby lake.

"There's something fishy about this." muttered Miroku after his proposition to help as a priest was rather vehemently refused by the village's leader "And I'm not only talking about that Nanushi's suspicious behavior..."  
"Well maybe the kid who's been spying on us since the procession went by could answer a few questions..." InuYasha shrugged, gently throwing a rock in the direction he'd just nodded toward  
A yelp of pain later; and a kid was stumbling out of a shrub, a heavy bundle spreading on the ground.

"Here, take them!" said kid demanded  
"Those are valuable." Miroku noted, eyebrow raised; before putting down the item he was inspecting "Ah, too bad I'm not strapped for cash anymore those would have been easily to sell..."  
"Wah... You can't refuse these! I need to hire you!"

"Then ask instead of acting as a self-entitled brat." InuYasha retorted, knocking the kid for a good measure  
Kagome sighed at the rather usual brash attitude and squatted in front of the kid "Why don't you tell us why you need help?"  
"I need you to come with me and eradicate this Suijin!"

"Does it have something to do with the fact you where supposed to be the sacrifice?" the miko asked  
The kid's eyes widened at the affirmation, then he sighed "You're right. I'm Taroumaru, and when I was the one designated to be the sacrifice... That bastard father hid me away and switched be with one of the servant's kid."

 **[Secondary Quest! Beware of still water...**  
 **Goal:** find Suijin-sama' temple  
 **Reward:** +25XP per goal, unlocks **Water** **God** **Protection** perk ( +10 to all protection skills) upon completion]

Even without the quest's prompt, Sango was already up and had slipped away, replacing the light yukata she wore during the day by the protective gear of the tajiya, Kirara by her side shifting to her larger form "Let's go." a glare at the kid "I'm not doing that for you, but for that kid who got stuck replacing you."  
"It's not as if I wanted father to do this!" Taroumaru bit back angrily "Suekichi's my friend!"  
"Stop yapping brat," InuYasha sighed while dropping the young kid on his back "we're going to help your friend anyway."  
"We won't let a kid be sacrificed like that." Miroku nodded

Taroumaru while still grumbling lead them through a small passage, and they soon caught up with the convoy, who'd left the boy to be used as sacrifice on a wooden dock  
Soon, a long boat with an elaborate figure-head was emerging from the heavy mist that was hiding away most of the lake, two tall and imposing figure with fish-head taking a hold of the kid whose face was hidden away by a blank mask and taking him away, disappearing as fast as they'd appeared.

"Now we just have to follow them to the god's house!" whispered Taroumaru from his spot in the simpler boat he'd helped them 'borrow'  
Taking care of staying far enough that Suijin's henchmen didn't realize they were being followed, the pack tailed the ornate long-boat to a large Torri which cut through the unnatural mist

 **[Goal complete!** +25XP  
 **Goal** **update:** confront the fake Suijin]

"I knew it!" InuYasha whispered "That's not a real god but a youkai!"

Tsukiko didn't answer, but the young princess' brow was marred by a frown, and her tails were whipping around in agitation – not giving any of them the time to act, she'd already jumped, cutting one guard in two with a swing of her sword while Padfoot had taken the second down, ripping his throat open.  
Sharing a glanced at the unrestrained violence their leader was displaying, the pack shrugged – knowing Tsukiko, the answer for a comportment would be clear soon enough.

Alpha leading them, they rushed toward the large center room of the Shinto temple, where shouting could be heard. Here, a richly adorned man was slowly strangling the still masked child they'd come to save...  
"Neither man nor youkai..." Kagome whispered as she realized that she didn't feel youki, yet would clearly feel the lack of humanity of the monster in front of them  
"Well what did you expect coming from a god?" the one who claimed to be Suijin-sama bragged  
"You're no god." Tsukiko corrected coldly

"Really? Would I be able to handle this if I wasn't a god?" the other bragged once more, a long halberd appearing in his hands  
"A holy weapon!" Miroku recognized, stunned – as for Kagome, she now understood why the weapon felt similar to her naginata, yet more powerful; this wasn't a weapon meant for either human or youkai  
"This is the halberd of Amakoi," the man announced "and I will kill you with it, for you have sinned greatly in this sacred place."  
"This place is holy ground indeed," Tsukiko agreed a water rushed around them, only to hit an invisible wall less than a meter away from her, making their opponent's eyes widen "But the only one tainting it is you, spirit, and you've fallen so low that you aren't even able to recognize your better."

¤.¤.¤

In her back, a low thump was heard, and she realized that her uncle was hitting his head against the fall "Er... what's wrong oji-san?" she asked, her voice loosing the otherworldly quality it had taken when she was talking to the children-eating spirit to slip into a mix of amusement and curiosity  
"Stupid, stupid, stupid..." the hanyou muttered, not really answering "How didn't I see it before..."  
"InuYasha?" Kagome asked  
"He's facing an existential crisis." Miroku explained while patting the beta's back "Don't worry about it, he's just realized something rather evident."

Sango and Kagome shared a confused look, then the tajiya asked "Er... shouldn't we... you know, take care of the guy who's trying to kill us?"  
Tsukiko turned her attention back to the fake god, just like the rest of the pack, her whole body-language shouting loud and clear about the predator she was "Yes, true enough, we're still mid-hunt." a smile "The funny thing about minor deities who take residency in the mortal realms is that the holy ground they inhabit become even more saturated with holy powers than normal temple are, making it easier for them to use their powers in that place than in the rest of the mortal realms that aren't really meant to resist full blown holy powers."

"What are you blabbering about?" the other stammered, visibly starting to panic about his inability to even approach the ookami – abruptly deciding he'd come back to her later, his weapon changed course, now aiming at the rest of the group  
"Kagome-chan, Miroku-san."  
Not needing further prompting both stood ready, weapon swirling with reiki, before lashing at the oncoming wake of foam and water, neatly cutting it two against the fake god unbelieving eyes.

"You should really listen when your better are speaking." Tsukiko taunted "What I was blabbering about, like you said, was a rather clear explanation."  
"What Tsuki-hime was saying was rather simple really." the houshi nodded, gaining dubious look from both InuYasha and Shippou – as for Sango, she was busy helping Suekichi up, his abductor having been forced to give him up to fight better  
"She simply explained that holy powers works better in holy ground." Kagome added "Just like in a temple, or here."

"You may have stolen your god's artifact, spirit, it does not give you the ability to use reiki in any way." Tsukiko pointed out "The only reason you're even able to use this weapon is because spirits use a spiritual energy similar enough than you managed to fool it into granting you a minor amount of control."  
"Shut up!" as he grew angry, the nearly human-like figure started to blur, loosing it's consistency and revealing scales and a flat face "Don't talk about things you know nothing about youkai!"  
Miroku snorted at the affirmation, then asked "Well, alpha, it's your call."

"The true Suijin-sama is trapped somewhere nearby, otherwise this place would have long since collapsed into disrepair. Her powers have been sealed in some way, since her feeling is rather muted but Padfoot will be able to pinpoint her." the young wolf explained  
"I'll free her." the priest promised solemnly  
"I'll go with the houshi," Sango decreed "if the true god is female who knows what that pervert will do..."  
"I'm perfectly able to behave in front of beautiful female goddesses!" said houshi protested heatedly – after all, he was the first to guess at their alpha's identity and yet he had only proposed to her once, that was very reasonable in his books... of course the fact that he'd refrained from hitting on the ookami because of both her personal powers and ancestry wasn't mentioned, not even in his unspoken argument

"What do we do then?" Kagome asked as Miroku and Sango disappeared in a shadow, Padfoot leading them away  
"Take the kids back to the village and tell them the real Suijin-sama is back, and won't need human sacrifice."  
"How can you be sure?" Taroumaru asked  
"Tch. A weakling with a fancy weapon won't be a challenge for the cub." InuYasha grumbled while dragging away the protesting child – Suekichi calmly following while holding Kagome's hand

"Fool! Sending away your friends won't save them!" the spirit laughed "I'll go after them once I'm done with you!"  
"Done with me?" Tsukiko repeated, cold amusement in her eyes – and finally, she let go of the hold she'd had to have on her powers ever since she'd entered the holy ground  
Eyes widening at the emerald-eyed goddess he'd finally recognized, the spirit stumbled back – not even bothering to give a token fight, she simply stepped toward him, too fast for him to follow her movements, and wrenched the holy artifact he was desperately gripping out of his hands.

"You know," she said idly as her senses were checking on the rest of her pack "double-crossing a Water Deity really was stupid." KageShin in her hands going through his shoulder and sticking him against the nearest wall  
"Bah! Suijin was always too calm and kind toward those low-life humans! I only got rid of her weakness!"

 **[Goal complete!** +25XP  
 **Goal update:** free Suijin-sama]

"You made the mistake of mixing up kindness and weakness." Tsukiko sighed – the spirit didn't even have the decency to look as if he was repenting for his actions  
But no matter – soon, the true mistress of the place would be back, and free to punish her underling however she wished. And then, the idiotic snake would realize that the small water divinity, like all water deity, was slow to anger, but didn't forgive easily once riled up.

And sure enough, a few minutes later, Miroku and Sango were back, a girl small enough to sit in Sango's hand with them – a girl that with a touch of her weapon changed back to a more usual size and turned toward the cowering snake on the wall with a frown...

 **[Goal complete!** +25XP  
 **Goal update:** free the sacrifice]  
 **[Goal complete!** +25XP  
 **Optional goal:** talk with Suijin-sama]

"Oh Daija-chan, you really though to usurp me?" the sweet smile was dangerous, all could tell "Did you really think that paltry seal would hold be forever?" the eyes grew colder "I'll take care of you later, when the guests are gone."  
With a snap of her fingers, the snake was gone - and they felt reiki ripple in the air and through the whole temple, rearranging the whole place into a more cozy scenery, just as the rest of the pack arrived.  
"Please be seated."

Tsukiko was the first to do so, the rest of her pack following suit, while the goddess smiled a more benevolent smile than the one she'd been aiming at her servant as she announced "I'd heard that the old grumpy had found himself family, but I didn't expect to meet you like this. Still, I'm happy to meet you, Death needed a family."  
"I'm happy to have found my brother." Tsukiko nodded her agreement – and realized with a startle that it was true

She'd hadn't meant to become a goddess, and hadn't even been particularly happy about it when she'd learned about her ascension, but now, centuries later, she was happy in this strange new life that becoming one of the immortal beings had gifted her.  
"Oh," Kagome realized finally "it's not that you've been sent by the gods Tsuki-chan, but rather that you are a god, right?"  
The question was asked with simple curiosity, rather different to the over the top reaction InuYasha had displayed earlier – but Kagome had grown so used to strange events around her ever since falling down the well that realizing the godhood of her friend didn't rate all that high on her scale of strangeness.  
"I am." Tsukiko nodded "I ascended by accident at the end of my first life, and was given the option to become a sort of god of heroes..."

"So that's why you've got reiki!" Shippou realized "Even as a youkai you can't just stop being holy, so it makes sense." the kit nodded firmly  
Suijin smiled at the pack's interactions "The mission you've been given as a young goddess seem to suit you well." she noted "I would have loved to help you," she added "but I'm afraid my powers are rather minor compared to you." she admitted easily enough "I am only a deity from the third circle after all."

"We didn't help for a reward," Tsukiko smiled "even if Chaos' Game still provides one." a wink "And we're nearly family too after all."  
"True enough." the goddess laughed "Still, I can at least give you a roof for the night and some supplies for the road."  
"We'd be honored." the ookami affirmed

 **[Secondary quest complete!**  
 **Reward:** +25XP, **Water** **God** **Protection** perk ( +10 to all protection skills)]

By the time the evening meal rolled-by, the pack had had the time to wash the grime of the day's travel and fight, and the conversation around the feast flowed easily – even Sango, the one who had been the most surprised to realize that she was in the presence of not one but two divinities had soon enough relaxed thanks to the pack's familiar banter.

Stories were told, of Tsukiko and Ryoichi's previous lives, of Suijin herself, and eventually they landed on the topic of how Kagome had been sent to the past and her self-assigned task of gathering back the Jewel she'd shattered – and from them to InuYasha's past with Kikyou and Naraku.

As for Sango, she'd been explained quite a few things too during the evening – and hearing about Chaos Game, Kagome and Tsukiko's origin from the future or Shippou's and Miroku's story made the teenage girl realized that so focused had she been on her revenge ever since her family had been cut down by Naraku she had cut herself off from the rest of the world.  
Naraku maybe her enemy – but she wasn't the only one with a bone to pick with the guy, and yet none of them seemed to be so held back by her past as she was.

"It's because it's still so fresh for you." Miroku whispered softly as he picked upon her confusion "And because you're trying to deal with it alone." he added with a sigh "We are all here for you, if you need to cry, vent, or even train more to take down that bastard... But we can't force you to take our hand."  
"Beside," Shippou added to her surprise "all of us realized you weren't ready yet, it's why we left you alone for a while." a smile "But see, your already better if you're starting to ask question!"

"But... I don't want to forget..."  
"And you won't." Kagome reassured the tajiya "Learning to accept that Naraku did a great injustice to your village, and family, and that you're never going to see them again doesn't mean you've forgiven Naraku, or forgotten your family, only that you've remembered that you are still alive... and do you really think forgetting to live would be what you family would have wanted for you?"  
"I know they wouldn't have wanted that." Sango admitted – and finally, the strong girl was crying, barely realizing that the pack had moved around her to support her as she let go of the anguish she'd been keeping inside

Eventually Sango fell asleep, face far more serene that she'd been in a long time – as they put the young woman to sleep, Kirara curling protectively around her, Kagome frowned, anger and sadness clear on her face "This idiot Naraku really is making life worst for people, as if the shards causing chaos wasn't bad enough!"  
"We'll stop him." Miroku reminded her as they walked toward the small patio where Suijin had gone ahead to arrange for tea while they'd taken their friend to her room  
"We will." Kagome nodded, half-turning toward Tsukiko "I understand, now, why you said that even for people who don't like violence, it's sometime the only solution. Evil like Naraku won't be banished with peace-talk!" she said

"Well said," Suijin agreed "This is a lesson that took me far too much time to learn before ascended." she added with a wistful smile "To protect peace, you have to be able to wage war..." with that, her eyes glowed blue "You know, I wasn't thinking enough about the situation earlier when I said I couldn't help..."  
Power swirled around her in a wave of iridescent turquoise, touching Miroku, Kagome, Tsukiko and even Padfoot before disappearing...

 **[Hidden Quest complete! To have peace...**  
 _Your will to fight impressed Suijin_  
 **Reward:** +100XP, holy servant are now **Elementally** **attuned** ]

[Your skills have been updated!]

 **[Holy Affinity skills:  
** Nature Art: 5/25* (unlocked by being **Elementally** **attuned)** ]

 **[Level up!** You are now level 148!  
 _+1SP]_ _  
_ **[Level up!** Kagome is now level 100!  
 _+1SP, +1PP, +2CP]_  
 **[Level up!** InuYasha is now level 127!  
 _+1SP]_  
 **[Level up!** Shippou is now level 91!  
 _+2SP, +2CP, +1PP]_  
 **[Level up!** Miroku is now level 89!  
 _+2SP]_

[Kagome is now Three-Tailed!  
 **Three-Tail Perks**  
 **\- Warrior Priestess:** your attack are all imbued with holy powers, dealing even more damage than a normal priestess to corrupted beings, unlocks **Battle Sense** as a normal learning Fighting Skill  
 **\- Shrine Maiden:** knowledge of the temple come naturally to you, making **Wards** and **Rituals** fast learning skills  
 **\- Pack Symbiosis:** you learn from your pack mate, unlocks **Elemental** **Manipulation** as a fast learning skill (with an element to be chosen)  
 **\- Fate's Chosen:** you have embraced your destiny and gain double the XP in any type of quest

 _ _available: 1__ _]_

The pack gave thanks to the goddess once more, as what she considered as a minor gift still improved all their elemental affinities linked to water – but Suijin answered that their will to fight had reminded her that time was far different for mortals, and that maybe it was time for her to take her stand too.

¤.¤.¤

The next day, as the pack and Sango took the road once more, the water goddess was meeting with the nearby village's head. Holy beings couldn't give away their gifts freely – but that was why bargains and pact had been invented, and while she had no interest in eating children, she could always use another pair of hands in her temple.  
And so, Suijin and Nanushi were soon striking a deal – the water deity would protect the village from natural disaster, and enemies attack, and the villagers would in return promise to be a haven for all, youkai, spirit or humans, as long as they kept their peace in the village.

None in the pack knew it – but the evening spent with the goddess had directly lead to the first of the Havens, mixed village where humans, spirits and youkai lived together, and would later be the first to go into hiding when the time came for all gifted being to disappear from History...  
The same day, the young goddess also sent messengers to her sisters, reminding them that if they had chosen to live in he mortal realms – something possible for them as they were much less powerful than the main deities – then they could also help the mortals around them in the small way they could. This in turn would spur on the other minor deity living through the country to look for villages or people to struck deal with.

As for the pack, they were on the road again, ear opened for any hearsay of strange happening that could be caused by the shards, and blissfully unaware of the cascade of events they'd caused.  
Now that they weren't hiding anything from Chaos Game to Sango, they could train much more openly, and even if she wasn't pack, the girl could still be invited as a hunting party member, making her take advantage on a lesser scale of the opportunities given by it.  
As for Kagome, now three-tailed, the young miko had wavered for a long time between the **Pack** **Symbiosis** and **Fate's** **Chosen** perks... before settling on the **Warrior** **Priestess** perk.

"Kikyou and Midoriko didn't have the help of a pack, or of Chaos Game when they battled their foes." Kagome had explained, when Miroku had asked her about her choice "I'm not saying I won't take advantage of Chaos Game, and never chose a perk unrelated to my reiki... But before relying on new powers, I want to go as far as I can as a miko, just like the two of them."  
And indeed, she proved her resolve in the following days, going through her school work much more diligently, and once done with it asking countless questions to all of them – about his how education as a houshi to Miroku, about her knowledge as a tajiya to Sango, and so on...

"You look like a proud mother cat." InuYasha taunted as Tsukiko was watching from a few meters away Shippou and Kagome help Sango with a small youkai extermination job she'd taken in the village they were passing by  
"You're one to talk, oji-san." she answered without missing a beat "Do you think I don't see you smile whenever Shippou learn a new move?"

The hanyou didn't have an answer that wouldn't be a lie – and so wisely kept his silence.  
The truth was – Kagome's renewed motivation had spurred them all on, and even their tajiya friend had been infected, sharing with them secrets he was pretty sure she shouldn't have told to outsiders from her village.  
The young woman wasn't pack yet – but even the hanyou could see that she would be, eventually. And he found himself looking forward to it.

As the two girls and the young kit were smoking out and dealt with a nest of nezumi youkai, Miroku had been led away by a beautiful woman – or rather, he'd let himself be led away, having felt just like the others the faint youki emanating from her.  
With Padfoot as a back up, he'd decided to spring the trap – and a trap it was, indeed, as while spinning some sob story about her destroyed palace and murdered family, the lady had grown large mandibles.

"So, did you kill that girl?"  
"I ate her from the inside!" the giant preying mantis answered, abandoning any kind of pretense before rushing at the priest

Padfoot jumped out of the shadows immediately, growing to him larger form mid-jump to snatch away of of the beast's member in a snap of his powerful jaws, while Miroku raised a wall of water with one hand , and infused his shakujou with houriki at the same time, dealing another heavy wound to the youkai.  
A few minute of battle later, both the priest and the dogs were covered with the large insect's innards, and trekking back to the village – a bath later, and he was retelling the story.

"There's something I realized during the fight..." Miroku concluded at the end of his explanation "That youkai was aiming most of her attacks at my hand."  
"Somehow, a youkai that knew to use the form of a beautiful woman would attract you, and about your kazaana doesn't strike me as a chance happening." Kagome mused  
"This reeks of Naraku." InuYasha concurred "It's not the first time he's sent youkai after us, after all."  
"Far from it." Tsukiko nodded – Rouyakan had been the first, but far from the last, and the annoying saimyoushou always seemed to find them

"So what was his aim by targeting Miroku's cursed hand?" Shippou wondered "Couldn't he just send his saimyoushou?"  
"He's realized I doesn't use the kazaana a lot anymore, and probably wanted to force me to use it by separating me from you." the priest theorized "And the mantis had sharp pincers, something that could have easily hurt by hand even more."  
"What would have happened if it managed it?"

"Well... a cut on my hand would have probably widened the kazaana, I don't really know, I'd have to ask my master..."  
"You have a master?" Shippou asked, eyes wide  
"Well someone did have to take care of me after oyaji kicked the bucket." the young priest shrugged easily "Mushin's an old drunk, and I'm pretty sure my loose morals are his fault."  
"Sounds like a charming man." Tsukiko laughed "Let's meet him!"

Kagome and Shippou nodded with a large smile, making Miroku sweatdrop – as for InuYasha, his lack of protest was as good as an approval...  
"If Naraku wanted to sent you to your mentor, he may have planned to do something to him." Sango pointed out more logically "We really should check on him."  
"Alright, alright!" the priest agreed "It's not too far anyway, if we head out tomorrow morning we should be there by the afternoon..."  
As promised, they were heading toward Mushin's temple by the next day, arriving by mid-afternoon. The place was out of the way, near a small waterfall – and the calm of the day was only broken by loud snores.

"That damn drunk," Miroku swore without heat – before entering the temple main room and kicking the man that was producing these noises awaken "Oy! You've got visit you fake monk!"  
"Uh, Miroku. Still alive eh kid?"  
"I should say the same to you. So much drinking will put you in a grave faster than my kazaana will." the young answered back

"And you even brought company." the monk finally realize  
"Yes they forced me to check on you because of Naraku's plotting. Clearly you're alright, so we'll be on our way!"  
"Or we could take advantage of the afternoon to take a break and train a bit..." Tsukiko contradicted lightly

Miroku shrugged – clearly, the whole pack had gone mad, wanting to know more about the old drunk that had raised him! There was nothing interesting about the man, except his impressive ability to drink an absolutely abnormal quantity of alcohol...  
"Fine, fine." he relented "Kagome-sama did want me to check on her sutra..."

"Better you than me." Tsukiko agreed with an amused smile – while she had nothing against sutra, she was still far better with runes – speaking of which "Shippou-chan, oji-san, time for some studying!"  
"Are we talking about youkai wards and spells?" Shippou guessed

"That we are." she confirmed "I can't really teach this while walking, I'd need visual props. I'll buy a pack of flash cards when I head back home so you can cram during the day, but for now we'll go over the basis."  
"Tch. I still don't see why I've got to learn this too."

"We already went over this oji-san, even if you don't use it you should at least learn it. It could save your arse one day!"  
The hanyou dropped down near Shippou in surrender, knowing his niece wouldn't let him flee from the lessons – and really, his protestation had only been out of habit, he really preferred open fight to finicky like wards, but he knew that now that the bastard had named him family, not knowing about this would reflect badly on the House of Moon. And while Sesshoumaru could live with being shamed a bit in his opinion, he wouldn't do this to his alpha, knowing how proud the young goddess was of her position as heir to the West.

The afternoon went by slowly, Mushin observing the unusual liveliness in his old temple with all the pack training and learning. He was emptying yet another jar of sake when Tsukiko sat near him, the ookami done with her lessons for the moment.  
"He's changed a lot." the monk said after a moment of silence "I was surprised to see he wasn't alone anymore..."  
"Miroku is a good man." the hime smiled "One who was far too afraid of hurting the people around him because of his curse."

"Well... He would have been caught by his father's kazaana if I hadn't kept him back." a sigh "This kind of death isn't something he should have seen."  
"He won't die like this." Tsukiko stated calmly – both a pledge and a conviction "I won't let him."  
This was true too – because as Death's sister she could feel quite easily natural lifespan, and Miroku wasn't meant to die by his kazaana, because that thing was a curse that shouldn't exist, just like it's creator.

And so she would prevent him from dying from it, be it by eradicating the plague that was Naraku, or by more drastic measure...  
"I believe you." Mushin finally said, pulling her out of her thoughts – a smile "Because this idiot used to present a fake smile to the world and hide his worries away... And now he isn't."  
She smiled – even if he didn't know to put the word pack on it, the old drunk had understood well enough their group dynamics with his ward, proving that behind the harsh words each had for the other, Miroku and Mushin really did care about each other.

¤.¤.¤

"Ah, enough mushiness," the monk stumbled up "I'm gonna get me more booze, my hands are shaking again."  
Snorting at the unrepentant alcoholic, she let him go and was soon joined by Sango, the tajiya cooling down from a spar with InuYasha "Seeing the master, it's easier to understand Miroku-sama's manners." she commented with an amused smile "I would even say he's not that bad... If only he could control this cursed hand of his!"

Tsukiko smiled, knowing the other wasn't talking about the kazaana – but rather of the unfortunate tendency of the houshi to appraise a woman's beauty in a very hands-on fashion, which Sango saw often victim of.  
The next moment she tensed – just as the rest of the pack  
"Youki, coming from the reserve!" Miroku snapped, looking around for his mentor  
"He just went for a refill..." Tsukiko announced

"Damn!" with that, the houshi rushed in the direction the sudden youki was coming from, the rest of the pack and Sango following suit  
The monk was already coming out of the reserve – but something was clearly off about him, and with a surge of reiki, he was attacking.  
"What the hell is going on?" InuYasha wondered, jumping out of the attack's way  
"He is being controlled." Kagome understood "That's why he still has access to his reiki!"

"It's just as the little lady said!" Mushin nodded "Now be a good boy and die under by praying-beads!"  
"Wow, he is good." Kagome had to admit, as the old monk made said beads grow in size and wrap around InuYasha  
"Not the time! Get me out of this before praising his technique!" the hanyou protested  
"Sorry!"

Kagome jumped toward him, reiki now naturally humming in her naginata, and attempted to cut the beads – only to realize they were far stronger than she had thought. And as the same time as the controlled man had launched his attack, youki had suddenly flared around them, stunning them all.  
"He must have used concealment wards!" Tsukiko realized as countless giant beast youkai appeared around them

Miroku threw a worried glance at his mentor still struggling against InuYasha and Kagome, before taking a better hold of his shakujou – and water, infused with his reiki formed around the top of the weapon, transforming it in a make-shift halberd. Trusting the young miko to take care of the situation, he turned toward the waves of of enemies approaching and jumped into the fray, side-by-side with Sango, Kirara and Tsukiko.

"Where's Shippou?"  
"Looking for the one controlling Mushin-san." Tsukiko explained "Sango identified the one controlling him. It's a tsubo-pot user. If he finds the pot and aim it at your mentor, the kokochuu will come out and free him."  
"Still, are you sure he'll be alright by himself?" the tajiya couldn't help but worry "He's still a kit."

"Padfoot is looking after him," Tsukiko reassured her "and Shippou may be young, he is already very strong."  
"I know." Sango admitted "It's just that he looks so young, it reminds me of my brother..." a sigh "But Shippou has a reason to fight, and thanks to that he is much stronger than Kohaku was... He was such a kind and shy child, not really meant to be an exterminator..."

Shippou had found the tsubo-pot user easily enough, as he was still hidden away in the shack where Mushin kept his alcohol stocks – and the small creature had tried to flee, clearly not used to have to fight by himself.  
But between Padfoot and the him, they'd soon cornered him – cleaning the blood away, the kit stored away FuurinKiba, and jumped on Padfoot, the large Grimm shifting through the shadows and making them reappear near the main temple, where Kagome had given up on cutting the praying-beads and was instead trying to incapacitate the monk himself.

"Hey! Drunkard!" Shippou called – before swiftly pointed the stolen pot at him once he'd gained the attention of the monk  
With that, the kokochuu slipped out of his mouth, and Mushin fell to the ground – asleep, and free from control, while his praying-beads went back to normal, freeing InuYasha.  
"Finally!" the hanyou proclaimed, Tessaiga growing back to it's awakened form as he jumped in the middle of the remaining youkai and unleashed his Kaze no Kizu  
With that swing of his blade, the fight was over, all the remaining youkai cut apart by the famous blade.

 **[Hunting Complete! Tsubo-pot user and kokochuu**  
 **Reward:** +50XP, +2 Hunting Trophy]

"Well," Miroku commented, reiki and water splashing away "at least I've been able to test my new weapon."  
"That water-blade was really a good idea." Tsukiko nodded "I'd never thought of using an element traditionally used for defense like that, but it sure did the job against those youkai."  
"Like you said, the water isn't all that good at offense, but once infuse with my reiki..."

They didn't stand a chance." the alpha completed "Clever."  
"Still, Naraku really did attack the place, shall we reinforce it like we did in Sango's village?" Kagome wondered  
"Tomorrow." InuYasha decreed, tired of having been assaulted with non-friendly reiki for so long "He's already attacked once today, he won't be ready to sent another wave that soon."

With that comment, and a last look at the bits of youkai on the ground, the pack shrugged, and headed for the hot spring to get rid of the grim before turning in for the night – their beta was right, between the fight, the training and the long hour of trekking they'd done today, all were ready to sleep a few hours.  
The next morning was spent setting wards, just like they'd done in the tajiya village, and the afternoon training, as the holy servants were all too spent from their early work to hit the road again.

¤.¤.¤

Finally they left the next day, a smiling Mushin sending them away.  
Barely a few hours into the day, Kagome's head snapped "I feel a shard." she announced "It's rather faint, but it's definitely corrupted."  
"Well, let's got then!" Tsukiko nodded – Kagome and Sango jumping on Kirara's back while Miroku was on Padfoot, the two girls having decided that the pervert would be better kept away from any temptation

As one, they rushing toward the direction the young miko had pointed toward – going even faster when the youkai senses picked up the smell of blood...  
Finally, they stumbled onto a small village, humans running in all direction "Please save us!" one of them shouted when he caught sight of them "This... this monstrous kid entered the village and started to kill all of us without a reason!"  
The pack had already jumped toward the direction the louder scream were coming from – the direction in which Kagome was feeling a shard – and ran across the one accountable for the pointless bloodshed.

Just like the villager had said, it was a kid – with an expressionless face, a shard seen only by Kagome and Tsukiko in his back, and a familiar fighting gear.  
"Kohaku!"  
At the shout, the kid turned his head toward Sango, showing no sign of recognizing her, then rushed away – followed immediately by the young tajiya.  
The pack followed suit – only for both the kid and Sango, still mounted to Kirara, to disappear abruptly once they were in the forest.  
"A barrier!" Kagome realized, immediately setting on finding how to disable it

It took the girl a few moments to realize that the barrier anchorage had been hidden within it, making it impossible to disable the easy way – but the same analysis had also let her know that said barrier was rather flimsy, only designed to keep all but Sango away.  
Taking her naginata out, she flared her reiki – and with one powerful strike, the barrier fell apart, letting the group free to rush in the direction where they were hearing fight noises...

They turned up on the edge of a cliff, just as Naraku disappeared away in a cloud of miasma, spiriting Kohaku way with him.  
"Sango-san!" Kagome rushed to her side "Are you alright? What happened?"  
"This... this wasn't my brother!" the tajiya said, looking like she was trying to convince herself rather than the other "It couldn't be..."

"I'm afraid it really was your brother." Tsukiko contradicted gently "But he wasn't acting of his free will."  
"Kohaku was kind! He wouldn't... wouldn't kill all these people or fight for Naraku!"  
"He isn't given a choice." the ookami informed her "His entire being is suppressed by the shard in his back right now."  
"But that shard is what's keeping him alive!"  
"Is that what Naraku said?"

An hesitation, then a nod.  
"A false truth." the hime informed her calmly "That shard is spelled to keep him between life and death, as a puppet to Naraku. Taking the shard without any precaution would indeed kill him..."  
"But he could be saved?" the tajiya asked urgently  
"If an expert in healing was present." Tsukiko allowed, before taking something out of her Inventory "None of us are good enough... But this..."

"Oh! The old sennin's gift!" Kagome recognized "So it's a healing item?"  
"A powerful one." her alpha confirmed "But it's limited to one use." she turned her attention back to Sango, closing the girl's hand around the leaf necklace "With this, you'll be able to save your brother, just put it around his neck, and wish for it."

The affirmation made the young woman eyes widen, and she stared at the jewel in her hands as if it was the most powerful thing she'd ever seen – before finally turning toward Tsukiko, tears shinning in her eyes, yet unshed for now "Why? Why are you all so helpful? Why, when I could betray you any day?"  
"Because you won't." Kagome stated with certainty "Oh sure, you may be tempted by whatever deal Naraku proposed to you... But you've already been bitten once by this devil, you know better than to believe him."

"I could betray you to someone else."  
"You wouldn't." InuYasha was the one to contradict her this time "You're far too straight-laced for this."

Sango closed her eyes, wishing her tears away by pure will-power – when she opened them again, her eyes were dry once more, and full of determination "Naraku wanted me to steal the Tessaiga for him in exchange for my brother's life. Will you help me?"  
"We will." Tsukiko promised

 **[Life Quest! Ohana means family...**  
 **Goal:** Save Kohaku  
 **Bonus goal:** Spring Naraku's trap  
 **Reward:** +50XP per goal, + 1 beginner skill book upon completion  
 **Bonus reward:** +100XP per goal, unlocks **Nobody** **gets** **Left** **Behind** perk (+10 to empathy and Synergy) upon completion]

With that, the pack headed back to the village they'd left in chaos, helping them are for the wounded and Miroku presiding a memorial for the dead, before going away – not without Kagome asking them not to blame the boy who'd done such a crime, as he was controlled by a youkai. The villagers, wounds still raw from the attack, had nevertheless promised to put the blame where it truly laid thanks to the kind girl's natural way with words.

With that, they'd left the village, eventually finding a small empty cabin where they decided to stop for the nigh – waiting.  
A few hours into the night, the pack who'd only been sleeping on one ear silently prepared itself – they were surrounded by youkai, who'd crept on them during the darkest hours, and more importantly, the tainted shard Kagome had identified as controlling Kohaku was present too.

Sharing one last glance full of determination, the pack and Sango jumped into action, InuYasha taking Tessaiga out just in time for the blade to parry the scythe the young tajiya used as a weapon as it tore through the door.  
After that, the fight was on – but of course, the pack was hampered by the controlled kid in front of them, whom they couldn't fight all-out against and had clearly been sent to hinder them.

And finally, taking advantage of a particularly virulent wave of youkai, the controlled Kohaku sent his chained-weapon toward Tessaiga, wrenching it out of InuYasha's claws – making it fall right at the feet of Sango.  
With one last hesitating look around her, the tajiya swept the weapon, jumping on Kirara's back and following after the already retreating Kohaku.

The controlled kid was gone too fast to see that Padfoot had disappeared into the shadows, Shippou on his back, and was following him, leaving a trail for his mistress to follow – nor did he see how the pack suddenly stopped holding back, taking care of the remaining beast youkai that had seemingly been giving them problems in a few second before following – Kagome on Tsukiko's back, and Miroku on InuYasha's, both male protesting about the pairing yet still following their alpha's order.

"Eh. So you really did betray your friends to save your brother's life!" the hanyou hidden under a white baboon pelt laughed "How despicable of you, tajiya-san!"  
"I've got Tessaiga, just like you asked." Sango stated coldly, not letting go of the dormant weapon "So where's my brother?"  
"He's here, don't worry. But before seeing him, drop your weapon and hand me the sword."  
Without a complain, Sango obeyed, the heavy hiraikotsu dropping to the ground with a loud thump.

"Now give me the sword."  
"Not before I've seen my brother."  
"So distrustful." the corrupted hanyou laughed, before calling "Come out, boy. Your dear sister want to see you."  
The little boy in a tajiya's outfit stepped out of the shiro, face blank and unfeeling.  
"Now go to your sister when she gives me the sword."  
A nod, and as she stepped toward Naraku, her brother stepped toward her – and finally, the hanyou had the sword, and laughing, ordered "Now kill your sister! It's the least I can do after all, since she was so useful!"

It was the moment all struck – Sango swiftly dealing with her brother by rushing toward him, uncaring of the weapon aimed at her, and knocking him out – right when Kirara and Padfoot launched themselves at Naraku, while Shippou attacked with his Fox Fire.  
To avoid the fireball, Naraku couldn't escape the two animal – and so both nekomata and grimm sunk their teeth into the hanyou's body.

But Naraku didn't bleed, Sango realized with shock as she took possession of hiraikotsu again – instead, dense and poisonous youki was oozing from the wounds, making Kirara regress to her smaller form, clearly affected by the miasma – while Padfoot, still in his larger form thanks to his rather high poison resistance, was clearly weakened too.  
"Tch. Foolish girl, you cannot beat me. My whole body is made of condensed miasma, you'll die before achieving anything."

Before the tajiya could answer anything, the rest of the pack barged in, tacking position around her in a protective manner.  
"I see. You didn't betray them after all..." the hanyou muttered – tone neutral, yet surprise clear to guess in the crazed eyes "No matter, you are still right where I wanted, and none of you will leave this place alive!" he added with a mad laugh, youki swirling around him as his hair twisted into a sea of black snake oozing miasma so fast that they didn't have the time to reach for him

¤.¤.¤

Miroku erected a barrier around them immediately, the water filtering the miasma – but it was clear that they would gain nothing by staying encircled by the poisonous fog, and InuYasha who was probably the most resistant among them was without his weapon right now.  
"I could use my kazaana to clear a path."  
"Don't." InuYasha contradicted rather harshly "Your water is protecting us right now, and you using that cursed hand will do no good."

"It would help us get out of here."  
"It would also poison you." the beta pointed out  
Meanwhile, Kagome had had an illumination – stepping out of Miroku's bubble was out of question, as it would lead to a quick and painful death – but while she wasn't the best at it, she did have a long-range weapon, and Tsukiko had probably caught up with Naraku by this point to reclaim the Tessaiga.

Her smile widened – well time to clear out a path, and help her friend in the same move.  
Closing her eyes, the young miko stretched her powers out, beyond the sea of miasma and further inside the shiro, she could feel a shard as large as the one around her neck, and her alpha's familiar presence, the ookami clearly in battle.  
Reiki hummed around her – and with one long and steady draw, she struck.

The power, so pure that the hanyou and youkai around her had raised their hackles even thought they weren't harmed, burnt through the bow, and the arrow cleared a large path through the miasma, before finished it's course right in Naraku's back, making him stumble mid-jump in his fight with Tsukiko.  
The hanyou stumbled, a whole arm gone, and turned disbelieving eyes toward the miko glaring right at him, the bow in her hands turning to ashes under the strain of her purifying powers – this of course cost him, as Tsukiko was still right there, and ready to take advantage of his weakness.

The next moment, youki was flaring around all of them, rushing through the shiro – Miroku barely holding his barrier against the fiery fury that raged around them, while Tsukiko, too far, bore the brunt of the attack.  
In a few moment, the unnatural fire had run it's course, and all that was left were ruins who'd clearly been empty for a long time judging by the encroaching vegetation.

"Tsuki-chan!"  
Alerted by Kagome's shout, the rest of the pack soon pin-pointed their alpha, who was coming toward them, clothes full of burnt traces, looking worse for the wear – and left arm covered in blood.  
"It looks worse than it is." the hime reassured them, nonetheless letting her childhood friend fuss over her "But I wouldn't be alive without my resistance to poison." despite the fact she looked like death warmed over, she still managed to smile as she handed back Tessaiga to her uncle while saying "Still, this was far from useless. We've got Kohaku and Tessaiga back..." the smile grew foxy "And even a bonus!"

Eyes dropping to the clutched hand of the ookami, Kagome gasped "You... How did you... Shikon shards!"  
The affirmation turned the attention toward their alpha, who grinned toothily "Part of it was in his body, and the rest in a satchel in his clothes. He managed to get back the satchel before running away..." a smile "But he never realized that KageShin did more than gut him when she hit him."  
"The Shikon no Tama is nothing more than condensed souls." Miroku realized "Of course your weapon works on it!"

The ookami nodded at the priest explanation, while handing to the miko the already purified shard she'd just stolen.  
"Now..." a smile "Let's free and heal your brother, Sango-san."  
The tajiya nodded, and taking the pendant she'd been given the day before out of her clothes, turned toward the still passed out form of Kohaku  
"The shard is right at the base of his neck." Kagome indicated

With a brief slash of knife, the tainted shard was cut out, and the healing leaf immediately applied, the breathing of the boy, who'd nearly disappeared when the shard had been taken out growing noticeably clearer, and colors getting back to his pale cheeks.  
"He's still weak," Kagome checked immediately "but he's not in danger of dying anytime soon."

Sango slumped to the ground in relief, head resting near the beating heart of her brother, still not quite believing it – it took her a few moments before she was able to put herself up, heaving Kohaku's unconscious body on Padfoot with InuYasha's help - no point in staying in the area still reeking of Naraku's youki, and even thought the day was starting, all of them needed to rest for at least a few hours after the battle, and Kirara was still weakened from the miasma she'd bitten.

"Thank you." she finally stated, as the pack settled in a clearing to rest a bit  
"You didn't even need to ask, Sango-chan." Kagome answered automatically, happy for their friend  
And with the candid affirmation – and the agreeing smiles and nod around her, she suddenly understood.

"We'll need to drop Kohaku somewhere." she stated "He needs a place to heal, and I don't think he's ready to see the tajiya village right now. Not with the memories of what he's had to do with Naraku's influence."  
"I would have said to leave him with Mushin-sama." Miroku sighed "But that would put him at risk of becoming just as bad as the old man."

"Kaede-baa-chan will take him." InuYasha said gruffly – before asking what all of the pack was wondering "But when you say drop him..."  
"I'm still traveling with you." the young woman confirmed  
"To kill Naraku?"

"That." her eyes were clear for the first time in a long time as she added "And because you may not be blood, you're family too now."  
The relief wasn't that visible – but because Sango had learned to know the pack well in their short time traveling together, she could guess at it. And when Padfoot nuzzled her hand, reiki swirling around him, she barely needed the glance around her and smiling face to guess what was happening...

 **[Life Quest Complete! +50XP  
Bonus goal complete! +100XP**  
 **Reward:**  
 **Bonus reward:** **Nobody** **gets** **Left** **Behind** perk (+10 to empathy and Synergy) unlocked  
 **Hidden bonus goal complete!**  
You managed to hurt Naraku enough that he's been forced to go into hiding to heal  
 **Reward:** +(200+100)XP, +1 enhancement to be chosen  
 **Hidden bonus goal complete!**  
You've managed to stole back part of the Shikon shards Naraku had gathered  
 **Reward:** +(200+100)XP, +1 youkai-made armor piece to be chosen]

 **[Hidden Quest complete! All as one...**  
Sango and Kirara are now part of Shadow's pack  
 **Reward:** +100XP, Sango and Kirara gains Chaos Game 3.0]

 **[Level up!** You are now level 151!  
 _+2SP, +2CP, +1PP]_  
 **[Level up!** Kagome is now level 104!  
 _+4SP]_  
 **[Level up!** InuYasha is now level 131!  
 _+3SP, +2CP, +1PP]_  
 **[Level up!** Shippou is now level 98!  
 _+5SP, +2CP]_  
 **[Level up!** Miroku is now level 96!  
 _+5SP, +2CP, +1PP]_  
 **[Level up!** Sango is now level 49!  
 _+25SP, +10CP, +2PP]_

[You are now **Four-Tailed!**  
 **\- Moon** **Princess:** your defensive abilities are granted a bonus based on your Light Affinity and your offensive abilities are granted a bonus based on your Darkness Affinity (unlocked by activating "Heir of the House of Moon" title)  
\- **Youkai** **Miko:** you may be the first, you certainly won't be the last, and you all will gain the characteristic of both species (unlocked by the Holy System update)  
\- **Reincarnation** **Roulette:** you gain the attribute of a Spirit (unlocked by gaining the **Nature** **Affinity)**  
 **\- Pack Symbiosis:** you learn from your pack mate, **Metamorph** is now just as versatile as **Shape-shifting** but the skill is dropped down by half its points

 _Available: 1_

 _note that in the **Youkai** **Miko** tail-perk,the miko CP bonus will be decennial and not yearly given the life-span of youkai]_

The pack had started heading back toward Edo a few hours later, talking as they traveled – with both Tsukiko gaining her fourth tail and Sango unlocking Chaos Game, they didn't lack for topics to chat about.

The hime admitted to be a bit put-out – while the perk where interesting, she admitted, she couldn't help but regret the absence of a perk letting choose to gain the traits of another type of youkai … purely because she really missed flying, and as such would have loved choosing a winged type this time  
"But... didn't you say you chose to be an ookami?" Kagome wondered at that affirmation, remembering one of their talk with Suijin-sama  
"I did." she confirmed "I had met a lot of canine youkai, mainly fox but a few inu and ookami too, so I assumed they were closely linked to you one way or another."

"You weren't wrong at that," the miko realized "after all I stumbled on InuYasha nearly as soon as I fell through the well..."  
A few second of silence – then a fiery aura suddenly surrounded the young ookami before she managed to put it all under control.  
"Huh. Fire Spirit, then." InuYasha stated, rather than asked  
"Indeed." she confirmed "It was my strongest elemental affinity, and it gave a boost to my Fox Fire..."

"Logical." Miroku nodded "Rather master one ability because focusing on too many at the same time."  
"Exactly. And with how difficult elemental manipulation is, having both blood and fire to master is more than enough."  
"Blood too?" Shippou noted "That's why your Fox Fire always feel different!"  
"I use my blood to boost most of my youki ability." the alpha confirmed "It's the ability I kept from my previous life." a shrug "Well it's not really the ability I used back then, but Chaos had to adapt it to this world... to keep the balance of power and all that spiel."

With both Kohaku still asleep and Kirara weakened by Naraku's miasma, it took them five days instead of three for the pack to arrive to Edo – where they were received not only by Kaede, but Rouyakan, the wolf youkai having gone beyond his instructions by somehow befriending the old miko, and the rest of the village.

"He is willing to learn," Kaede explained after they retold for her their latest travel "and very kind. Once he chased away a few beast youkai, the villagers realized he wasn't there to hurt them, and started to give him a few things to eat whenever he helped out, and the wolf soon realized that helping around meant food. So he learned to help not only by chasing youkai away but by helping out in the field, or with the hunters." a smile "He also follows me when I gather herbs, and he's starting to recognize the ones that I want."

Sango, after being explained how the youkai had come to be Tsukiko's retainer, couldn't help but smile – the alpha was kind, even if sometimes in ways that weren't immediately apparent, and Edo had gained a faithful protector thanks to that kindness, just like she had gained a pack...  
The next day was spent resting – something all of them sorely needed – then Kagome dropped to the future, to give back her assignment and get new ones.

Tsukiko went home too, spending the day with her father – and the shiro inu spent hours drilling her in the dojo, helping her get a feel of her changed gift thanks to the addition of Fire Spirit in her genetics. What it meant, beyond her improved fire affinity, was a more volatile temper, which would need long hours of meditation to keep even, and a understanding of the element that went far beyond the simple manipulation – she had been able to use fire, but now, she was fire.

It meant, among other thing, that heat had no effect on her anymore – but also, because spirits used spiritual powers rather than youki, that her reiki was even more effective than before, and not only against corrupted beings...  
In other words, her fourth-tail had given her a wealth of new gift, that were thankfully useful immediately, but would take time to fully master.

By the time she went back to the past, her father had managed to help her quite a bit with her training, making her gain a whole level – which as a four-tail wasn't an easy feat by any mean – and he'd also confirmed to her that the fact her status as heir and alpha had been confirmed in the present too, making a notification flash in front of her eyes...

[ **Soul Imprint updated!**  
House of Moon Clan Mark (+2 Wisdom, +1 Charisma)]

The ookami hadn't been able to hide her smile at that – she may not have been exactly happy when her scar as Harriett Potter had showed up on Sawada Kazami's brow, but that had been decades ago, and since then she'd taken a liking to the traces that told of her passage through different life – after all she may leave people behind each time, it didn't mean she'd forget them, and the soul-imprint was a visible proof of the influence her several life had on her...

By the end of the day, both miko and hime were back to the past, and their pack – and the next day, Kohaku finally opened his eyes.


	11. Game On 30 X The Great Dog Inheritance

Hi! I'm back for now!

I know I'm very late, and very sorry about it, there's been quite a bit of change in my life lately... since the house was coming along great we decided that it maybe about time to set a date for the wedding (you know after being engaged for 3 years...) so since mister is at sea half of the year, and we tend to enjoy life when he's home, the time I usually spent writing when he's not here went on working on the wedding. Its slow going, my god I didn't know there we so many thing to do.  
And just when I finally found a bit of free time and wrote this chapter (you'll see on my profile it has been done for a month) my mother went for a simple dental surgery and it went really wrong, she nearly slipped in a coma so yes - I went to her house in a hurry to take care of her rather than the wedding or my story. Still, she's getting better (I'm still at her place, and missing a bit my home but well, must do...) so I've had a bit of time to write the next chapter, and correct this one.

I'm putting big changes up, so I'll hope you'll enjoy!

* * *

 **Chapter X September 1996 The Great Dog Inheritance**

Kohaku – wasn't well, to say the least.  
He had clear memories not only of killing his family, but also the villagers where they'd found him, and knowing that he'd been controlled by Naraku didn't mean he didn't felt responsible.  
Still, he had been overjoyed to learn of the survival of his village, and his sister – but just as Sango had predicted, didn't feel up to go home, not ready to face the dead that would haunt him there. Sango couldn't really blame her brother – she too had fled their home after all, by following the pack in their hunt for Naraku, and had been lucky enough to find a new family in their midst...

What hurt worst for the girl, was to see the guilt in her brother's eyes each time he looked at her – even if she understood he needed time to heal, it didn't stop her from wanting to heal his heart and mind here and now, just as they had been able to do for his physical wounds.  
But while the still weak boy was slowly getting better, the miasma poisoning both Padfoot and Kirara was lingering – and it was just as they were wondering about going to the future to find a cure that Myouga popped up with tales about a small village less than a day away renowned for it's medicinal garden...

"I guess chichi-ue was right," Tsukiko commented, the young ookami looking faintly surprised "He is good at information gathering even if he's a coward."  
With that, it was swiftly decided that InuYasha and Kagome would go, while Sango would stay with Shippou to take care of her brother, the pack hopping the young kitsune would help make the human feel better – it was after all difficult to stay neutral in front of their youngest pack-mates' antics...  
Miroku had volunteered himself to help the tajiya, much to Kagome amusement – the interest the houshi had showed toward Sango had been more habit than anything else at first, but as she'd made her place among them as pack-mate, the man had soon found himself more sincerely interested, even if he struggled to show it, much to the miko's bafflement.  
How could someone so good at understanding other people could be so bad at expressing his own feelings?

As such it was only Kagome, InuYasha and Tsukiko that went on the road – the young ookami looking quite lonely without her constant four-legged partner, making her friend wince. Seeing Tsukiko without Padfoot was really rare, and she hoped the herbs they'd been told about would be effective quickly, so that the situation was put back to normal as soon as possible...  
But of course, the miko realized with a sigh as they stumbled onto the dead body of a young woman whose entrails had been eaten – that was just wishful thinking for they were Shadow's Pack and if something strange was happening anywhere they'd inevitably become involved. Not that she regretted it, it was only natural in her mind to help if they could – it just made for a busy life.

The villagers gathered around the body were all muttering angrily – this was the third body they'd discovered in this state, and apparently they seemed pretty convinced about who was responsible for them...  
And it just so happened that the one they held responsible for those murders was Jinenji, a yokai living with his mother on the edge of the village, who owned and kept the medicinal field they'd come for.

"Why would a flesh-eating youkai keep a medicinal garden nearby a human village?" their alpha pointed out as the villagers around them talked "Those that see humans as food don't mingle among them usually."  
"You're right." Kagome nodded "This is fishy."  
"I'll just follow the scent then!" InuYasha proclaimed "If it's really this Jinenji, the trail should take me to him, if it isn't, I'll find the true culprit."  
"Alright. We'll go directly to the medicinal garden then." agreed Tsukiko

With that, the trio split up, InuYasha soon disappearing, following his nose, while the two girls leisurely ambled toward the direction the field was supposed to be.  
"Two girls alone shouldn't go there!" a villager tried to protest, before being shut down by another  
"Who cares, that's a youkai!"  
"But the other looks like a miko doesn't she?"  
"What's a miko doing with a youkai?"

¤.¤.¤

Ignoring the bickering that seemed to be the main activity of the villagers, the two girls left – and soon arrived at a small but well kept field that gave off a very faint scent of youki, while a second signature, similar but far more powerful could be felt inside the small house nearby.  
A few seconds latter, they were knocking – and being answered by an impossibly old looking woman who glared at them mistrustfully "What do you want?"  
"We were told that you were selling medicinal plants." Kagome answered with a smile, not letting herself be browbeaten by the old woman's attitude  
"Bah. I thought you were more idiots who let themselves fooled by those damn villagers. As if my Jinenji could eat a human!"  
"He most certainly couldn't." Tsukiko nodded with certainty, making her miko friend wonder why she sounded so sure "After all hanyou can't eat humans."

The old woman's eyes widened at that affirmation, aggressively asking "How could you possibly..." then, taking in the ookami hime's appearance, she calmed down "Well I guess a youkai could feel it even without seeing him." with that, she moved out of the doorway, letting them enter

Jinenji was unbelievably ugly, Kagome immediately realized – but the tall, deformed hanyou also had kind eyes, and scars littered his body.  
"The villagers have been regularly attacking my boy, and trying to kill him." the old woman explained as she saw the question in her eyes "And Jinenji's too kind to protect himself, too afraid of hurting them..." a sigh "I used to be able to protect him but I'm old now..."  
With a resigned shrug she turned toward the field "Anyway, you're not here to listen to an old woman's lamentations, you came for a reason didn't you?"  
"We need a cure against miasma." Tsukiko confirmed "And we heard that your son's garden grew a panacea that would work on a large range of poisons..."

Jinenji nodded, looking less skittish now that they were talking about a topic he was comfortable with and quickly gathered the cure they'd came for, explaining that they'd have to boil the herbs for them to work.  
"Well, you'd better go now." the hanyou's mother said, roughly but not unkindly "Or you'll became entangled in our problems."  
"We're still waiting for my uncle." the wolf princess contradicted lightly "And you need no worry about us..."  
The old woman grumbled a bit but didn't protest and soon, Kagome was asking questions about the field to Jinenji, while helping at the same time – that is until she spotted a worm and jumped back with a girlish scream, terrified.

From the bench where she was sitting, talking with the hanyou's mother, her childhood friend couldn't help but laugh at the ridiculous situation, while the old woman commented "She's not afraid of my son but has this kind of reaction to such a small thing? This girl is really unique."  
"She has always been." Tsukiko smiled – after all even in the modern magical community, Jinenji's appearance would stick out like a sore thumb – but the young miko was much too open-minded to let something like that stop her from making friends

"But then again so are you, it's not everyday I see human and youkai traveling together." the old woman pointed out "It's good to see things are changing..."  
"Things will change." the hime confirmed, knowing the old woman was thinking about the way her son was rejected by all "Not right now, but they will." then she stood abruptly, attention caught by something the humans couldn't feel "The villagers are coming." she informed the old woman "And they are agitated."  
"Here to try and kill my poor soon once again then." the other commented with a tired sigh, but steel in her eyes "Well not today! Not as long as I live!"

Tsukiko nodded in respect, impressed by the lone human woman who'd spent her life protecting her son – this wasn't something that could be seen everyday, especially in this era where woman were far less respected than men...  
Soon, she'd informed Kagome and Jinenji about the incoming visitors – and sure enough, within minutes, they arrived, loudly affirming once again that the hanyou was the culprit for the recent crimes – yet not really brave enough to come close enough, keeping at a safe distance and throwing rocks in their direction.  
"This is how you repay our kindness Jinenji? All this time we let you stay here, and you start killing us!"  
"Bastard!"

"Kindness?" Kagome finally burst out, the miko loosing her temper now that she was faced with the villagers bullheadedness "You call your comportment kindness! Harassing someone that doesn't defend himself and accusing him of crimes he didn't commit! You are all a bunch of cowards!"  
"Ignore the wench, she came with youkai too!"

The young miko gasped – as the next thing thrown wasn't a rock – but flaming arrows, aimed toward the small hut, under the disbelieving eyes of the mother and son.  
That was when the wolf hime let go of the control she'd been constantly exercising on her temper for the past few days in order to get used to her new fiery nature...  
The scorching aura made the villagers flinch in terror – yet, Kagome realized, neither she nor Jinenji and his mother felt any discomfort from the flames dancing around the youkai, nor was the field hurt. Still, the fire had to be real, as the arrows flying through it were consumed one after the other, leaving the hut unharmed.

"Youkai!" screamed a terrified villager  
"Witch!" another added, just as afraid  
"Are those supposed to be insults?" the princess wondered idly – after all she was the first, and had been the later

No answer was given – out of fear, just as much as by lack of time, as a giant centipede youkai, looking far less evolved than the one who'd dragged Kagome in the well for the first time, barged behind the villagers, a horde of younger youkai around her "Now my children! Go and hunt!"  
With that, the humans panicked, realizing that they had indeed been afraid of the wrong monster – and several would have died here and there, if Kagome, Tsukiko but also Jineji hadn't jumped into the fight, forcing the horde back under their stunned eyes, soon helped by InuYasha "By the time I tracked the smell to their nest," the inu hanyou explained as he arrived "they were already on their way here!"

While it wasn't a hard fight, there were still quite a lot of the newborn creatures with only one obsession in mind: to feast on human flesh – but the true surprise came when it was Jinenji that tackled the mother youkai, saving yet another villager.  
Kagome looked ready to rush to help the gentle-hearted hanyou, but both his mother and Tsukiko held her back

"Just watch." the wolf smiled  
"But why?" the girl asked, reiki still flooding her weapon  
"Because Jinenji is kind, and always had his mother by his side, he's never fought..." Tsukiko answered

Her voice, while calm, could be heard quite clearly, as if the battle sound had died down for her – or rather, Kagome realized, because only Jinenji was left fighting, all the rest of the youkai already beaten...  
"And because of that, the villagers forgot that as a hanyou Jinenji was indeed much stronger than them, and decided they could do whatever they want..." her smile grew wicked "Let them see what the hanyou they have picked on for years could have done to them if he so wanted."

With a guttural shout, and using for the first time his monstrous force, the hanyou finished the centipede in front of them with his bare hands, under the wide eyes of the villagers, both terrified out of their mind, and awed. Then the kind boy was turning toward them, handing out herbs for the wounded – and the terror let place to gratefulness, and shame.  
Soon in the field humans and youkai were mingling, helping the wounded, while the villagers that hadn't been hurt turned toward the ugly hanyou "We'll help you clear out the field." they said – and while the apologies weren't spoken, they were easily understood

"Do you know why Jinenji looks like that?" Tsukiko asked his mother as he was putting the field back in order  
"Well, I always assumed that because he was a hanyou his form was halfway between that of his youkai father and my human one..." a frown "But looking at pretty boy right here," she added glancing at InuYasha "I'd guess this isn't the true answer."  
"It both is and isn't." the ookami enigmatically answered, before stating more than ask "I'd wager he was less deformed while younger?"  
"He was." the old woman nodded

"The problem is that he was never taught to use or channel his youki." Tsukiko explained "He does channel a bit of his powers in the field, otherwise he'd been overtaken by his youkai blood a long time ago... But what small amount end up in the earth, helping it grows those helpful panacea isn't nearly enough given the amount of power saturating his body."  
Seeing that neither mother nor son really understood what the youkai was saying, it was InuYasha that huffed "What the pup's saying is that your kid is way too powerful and need training obaa. Once he learns to control his youki he should be back to a form more like mine."

Both shared a look, not really daring hoping to believe him, and Tsukiko nodded "Precisely. Seeing as Jinenji's father left him such a beautiful field I doubt he abandoned you... So I'd guess he's dead, and that's why he didn't come back himself to train his son, but that's the gist of it: a hanyou must learn to be both human and youkai. And while you managed really well all alone, you're still human, and didn't know anything about the youkai education he needed."

"Is there anything we can do?" Jinenji's mother asked, anxious to give any advantage she could to her son as long as she was alive  
"I've got a retainer in Edo working with their local miko." Tsukiko nodded "'I'll talk to both of them. Have Jinenji show there at least twice a month and they'll start him on the basis of meditation and youki control, as well as teach him how youkai society works."

With that her aura flared, subtle enough, that neither the villagers nor the untrained hanyou realized – but neither Kagome nor InuYasha needed the notification to realize what their alpha had just done by mingling briefly her aura with the hanyou...

 **[Political System** updated!  
 **Jinenji** (hanyou level 39) has been added as a Shadow Pack retainer: +25XP]

"Still too kind," InuYasha taunted his niece as they made their farewell "Giving away your protection like that."  
"He'll soon realize it, and will be a boon to our House and Pack."  
"That he will." the hanyou couldn't help but agree "This kind of untamed power isn't frequent, and with a bit of training he'll become a real asset."

"What do you mean?" Kagome wondered, not really seeing what the other two had  
"While he's not a fighter Jinenji managed to learn by himself how to imbue his crops with his youki without any training..." her alpha explained "In other words he's got a really good potential to become a skilled herbalist and potioneer, as enhanced plants can be brewed into powerful potions."  
"And there aren't a lot of youkai good at these of things. Most are too busy learning to survive, hanyou in particular, to focus on such a skill. But now between his mother's impressive protection during his younger years, and now the House of Moon protection, he'll be able to really grow into his skills."

Kagome nodded thoughtfully – while Tsukiko's move in extending her protection without mother nor son realizing it she had indeed done them a kindness, but one that would benefit her in return in the future, as Jinenji learned more about his gift. She smiled – in the end it seemed like a right choice, as it was to everyone's advantage.

¤.¤.¤

"Bored, bored, bored!" InuYasha's voice, rather lower at first, had increased with each affirmation "It's been weeks and nothing! Not a tiny rumor, not the wisp of a shard!"  
"What uncle means by weeks is nearly two weeks," Tsukiko mock-whispered to Shippou "such an uncouth hanyou never learned to stay still more than a few minutes after all."  
"I see." the kitsune answered, affecting to taking her words seriously "That explains so much..."

"Hey! Would you two cut it out!" the inu hanyou snapped "You can't say this isn't grating on you nerves too, I've seen you fidget!"  
"Well, while it's indeed unsettling not to have heard anything about either the shards or Naraku in nearly fourteen days, you've got to remember he was rather heavily hurt the last time we saw him," his niece reminded him  
"Feh. I guess." a shrug "It's just that training is good and all, but everyday spent doing nothing is another day the shards are left sowing chaos out of our view..."  
"Of course." the alpha nodded more seriously – InuYasha was right after all

Since their return from Jinenji's village, they had spent their time in Edo, with Kagome taking advantage of the down time by studying intensively both normal and miko course, and spending as much time as she could with her family, just as Tsukiko did – and the whole pack didn't stay idle either, training both individually and in group as soon as Sango, Kirara and Padfoot were better, but the calm wasn't doing anything for their nerves, even if the brash hanyou was expressing it the louder...  
"Since traveling around without a clue wasn't doing anything for us I've taken Myouga in." the young wolf princess announced  
"Wow," Kagome winced "you must really have been despaired!"

"Well, he clearly dropped the ball where InuYasha-oji-san was concerned, but still he did have sound info when Sango's village and Jinenji's field were concerned..." the youkai reluctantly acknowledged "He just came by," she added "and had news!"  
Kagome had to repress a snort as both Shippou and InuYasha's ears moved forward, both eager to move out – the kit had been practicing his shape-shifting talents – and making it impossible to miss their canine nature...  
"It's raining blood in a village about three days from here." Tsukiko announced, stunning her pack "Blood, and youkai flesh."  
"What are we waiting for then?" InuYasha jumped on his feet "Let's go!"

The rest of the pack laughed at his impatience – but soon enough, they'd said their goodbyes and were on the road again, a far healthier Kohaku waiving at them by Kaede and Rouyakan's side.  
It took them a couple of days to reach the village Myouga had mentioned, and from there, it was easy enough to follow the miasma of a nearby mountain. There, they found a hole burrowing into the depth of the mountain.  
"Normal humans aren't made to resist such miasma." Miroku commented as he got a good feeling of the sheer evilness that permeated from the place "Without our pack-bond most of us would be severely affected."  
"The youki of Tsuki-chan, InuYasha and Shippou-chan is protecting us." Kagome understood easily enough thanks to her miko lessons

A protesting mewl.  
"And Kirara, sorry."  
"Not Padfoot?" Sango couldn't help but comment  
"He's got reiki, not youki." Tsukiko corrected absentmindedly, senses more focused on the tunnel they were in

"Right." Sango nodded – because the Grimm looked more like a youkai, she tended to forget that technically he was a powerful holy servant  
Soon, they'd reached the end of the tunnel they were in "That's not a mountain!" Kagome realized, eyes widening "That's a sleeping volcano!"  
"And there's a barrier." Miroku added, the priest immediately focusing on what seemed more immediately important "A barrier made to trap youkai..." his eyes widened as he realized what was the purpose of the barrier "Kodoku!"  
"Er..."

"A giant trap, forcing all the youkai within to fight each other, the winner absorbing the loser's powers." Tsukiko explained somberly " A quick but deadly way to gain power."  
"We're... not yet in it, right?" Shippou asked, voice wavering slightly  
"Even if we were," their alpha reassured the kit "Our pack bond is stronger than this spell." an amused smile "And Kagome's got more than enough raw power to dispel it, even if she still somewhat lack control over her gifts, without even talking about Miroku's skills."

While she was saying that, the last fight had ended in the pit, ending in a shower of blood that explained the mysterious bloody rains in the neighboring village, while the victor's form changed as he absorbed the power of the one he'd just finished off.  
The barrier, probably disturbed by the presence of the several youkai around shivered, but didn't broke, to the consternation of the last youkai standing. Looking around, he finally spotted the pack "Ah, I see." he laughed "Guess I've got to get rid of you weakling first!"  
Ticked, InuYasha would have lost his temper – if not for Tsukiko stopping him "That's not it." she contradicted "The barrier isn't coming down because it wasn't made to."

"What do you mean?"  
As if to answer the question, the air pulsed as a new presence was suddenly felt.

"Shikon shards!" Kagome gasped  
"Naraku."InuYasha completed "Should have guessed he was the one behind this!"  
The rest of the pack nodded, agreeing completely with their beta – ever since they'd learned about his existence, that was the first time so much time had gone by without hearing anything from their enemy, even if it probably was because of his injuries...

As for the evil hanyou – as it was indeed him – he hadn't realized they were present, probably thanks to the concentration of youki present in the volcano and as such was taken by surprise when the pack jumped toward him, taking advantage of the barrier's breaking to attack.  
Still – young he may be for a hanyou, Naraku had very good surviving instincts, and as such was moving out of Tessaiga's way before he'd even realized it was there, all the while moving toward the victorious youkai from the kodoku...

"He's looking to absorb it!" Kagome realized, remembering Tsukiko's affirmation that kumo – spider – could take on youkai's powers; with that she rushed toward the youkai, aiming to purify it before their enemy could gain more powers  
Realizing her intentions, the hanyou eyes darkened and he grew careless, barely avoiding one of Miroku's attack while trying to get to the youkai faster – the water halberd grazed him, destroying the baboon pelt he was wearing and revealing that his body underneath was more wood than flesh; after all regrowing members, while not as impossible for youkai and powerful hanyou than humans, was still a lengthy process, often spawning years or even decades...

Shippou had swiftly gone to assist Kagome, making Tsukiko smile – their training was clearly paying, the kit clearly already on his way to become the fearsome warrior she knew he would eventually be.  
Sango was less used to fight with them, yet was a skilled enough tajiya that she more than made up for it, but she still had trouble keeping a rational mind when it came to the man that had killed so many of her people and family, as such Padfoot was forced to drag her out of one of the man retaliation – giving him the opening he needed to get to his target...  
Once the assimilation process had started, there was no stopping it, the wave of power around the hanyou too dense to be pierced – not that that they didn't try, even though it only lasted a couple of seconds.

"I would play with a bit more,the newly reborn hanyou taunted, his youki swirling around him to reform his usual pelt "but I've got other plans on the fire!"  
With that he was gone – so fast not even Tsukiko had time to react.  
"That bastard!"  
While the rest of the pact didn't swear quite as loud as InuYasha – they weren't that far behind, all unsettled by the fact the hanyou had managed to fend them off rather effectively even though he had been injured... and was now not only completely healed, but far more powerful than before, as confirmed by Tsukiko's sharp senses...

It was a pack still feeling the sting of defeat that headed out of the sleeping volcano – not toward Edo, but the East, as they had caught a rumor about several shards there while speaking to the villagers of the village where it had been raining blood that had led them to the kodoku...  
After a few days on the trail, Tsukiko's eyes widened – she was feeling a familiar presence. She didn't even have time to open her mouth that in a large cloud of dust and smoke, an old man and a three-eyed ox appeared, Myoga perched on one of the beast's large horns.

¤.¤.¤

"Hu." the shriveled man muttered, suddenly closing by on InuYasha "The brat's supposed to have mastered the Kaze no Kizu, really?"  
"Mastered?" the hanyou repeated, before snorting "As if! I don't know why you're believing the annoying old tick, old man..." he answered rather honestly, having inferred by Tsukiko rather relaxed stance that she recognized the youkai, and didn't consider him a threat "but I've only managed to learn the first form of that attack!" he completed – something he knew not only thanks to Chaos Game, but also because the countless hours of training were paying enough that he now knew enough about the blade to guess he was only scratching the surface of it's abilities

"Oh?" the youkai raised an impressed eyebrow "I didn't expect such an insight." he admitted "Still, I'm here anyway so draw your sword!"  
The hanyou glanced at her alpha – and seeing her nod, easily complied, wondering the hell the newcomer wanted with him – the next moment a long hammer was coming at him, or rather at Tessaiga, and InuYasha was pushed back under most of his pack's surprised eyes.  
"The sound hasn't matured yet." the attacking youkai commented idly, jumping out of the way nimbly before catching the now attacking weapon in a large leather clothe "Chipped here and there, and needing a good sharpening but rather well-kept." he noted, surprise visible once more in his eyes

With that he jumped back, and InuYasha stopped his attack as he realized the other had finished his impromptu exam.  
"I'm Totosai." he finally introduced himself "And I'm the blacksmith that created your blade."  
"Yet I don't think you came just to take a look at you creation, did you?"  
"Absolutely! I've come to judge your mastery of Tessaiga! And if you don't pass my test, I'll destroy it myself!" the youkai affirmed calmly

Among the loud reaction of her pack, Tsukiko lack of protest wasn't hard to note – and so they soon turned toward her, wondering about her calm.  
"You're not one to destroy your creation without reason." the young hime commented "And mastery of such a weapon as Tessaiga isn't gained in a few weeks or months, it comes with years of use, you know that well... So what kind of test are you talking about, Totosai?"  
Finally taking note of the young girl, the old youkai took a look at her – then, eyes zeroing on the blue moon, jumped back, clearly more out of instinct than anything else  
"Ah! The brat reproduced!"

"I told you." Myouga grumbled  
"You're senile and couldn't give reliable information about your main charge, why would I believe you!"  
"I'm half your age! And I saw InuYasha use the Kaze no Kizu, I didn't lie!"  
The argument didn't go further – as Tsukiko eyes suddenly lightened, making her pack guess that there was a newcomer, one they were more familiar with...

Sure enough, a two-headed, serpentine silhouette was soon seen flying toward them – a regal rider jumping to the ground before the beast had even landed.  
"Where is my sword Totosai?"  
The youkai recoiled under the cold eyes and deadly killing intent, jumping to hide behind a nonplussed InuYasha  
"I didn't make one!" he retorted, full of bravado now that there was someone between him and the daiyoukai lord "You've already got one of my creations!"  
"And I already told you I've got no use for a sword that doesn't kill!" Sesshoumaru retorted, rather heatedly for all of his usual calm  
"While I really don't like chichi-ue's disregard for Tenseiga," Tsukiko chose this moment to comment "I don't see either why you refuse to make a sword for him, after all he's well past the age where you should have made him a coming of age weapon. Same for oji-san."

At that both brothers turned an inquisitive look at the blacksmith – suddenly wondering the same... After all both were adult in regard of youkai tradition, and this was all that was needed before being bestowed a coming of age weapon. Even Tsukiko, with less than a century of age, had one!  
Not having expected the question, Totosai stumbled, then after thinking about it, mumbled "Well it's not like he explicitly told me not to tell you..."

Both brother shared a glance, curious now that they realized the old youkai did indeed have a reason.  
"Tessaiga and Tenseiga are both powerful blades, that I wouldn't have crafted for anyone else than Inu no Taishou." the blacksmith started "So when I heard he would pass on the blades to his sons, I was naturally cautious." at that he glared at both Inu "You don't seem to realize how dangerous these blade could be in the wrong hands!"  
"The power over life and death, cannot be handled by just anyone."

Of course, it was Tsukiko that was heard agreeing, eyes tinged green. Totosai eyes gleamed in interest as he realized this, and finally focused on her aura, understanding in an instant just what she was.

"Indeed, young Seishi-hime." the blacksmith confirmed "But I had underestimated the great dog," he continued, amused "for of course there was a reason behind this legacy. A reason he entrusted to me, along with the fate of the swords. I would judge both brothers, and if they met the criteria set by their father, gain the right to keep the sword, and to have their coming of age weapon."  
"So why wait until now?" InuYasha asked "It's been centuries since oyaji died!"  
"Well I couldn't well judge a pup, could I?" the blacksmith retorted hotly "But since your brother decided you deserved these," he added pointing at the hanyou's pack mark "And you've managed the Kaze no Kizu, be it it's basic form, then between that, and the other brother's insistence I make him a blade, I really couldn't push it back anymore!"

"Well then get on with it!" the hanyou huffed, false bravado trying to hide the unease at the prospect of loosing his father's heirloom – and at the same time, excitement at the idea that said test had been left behind by said father's too  
Sesshoumaru, if not verbalizing it, seemed to convey the same demand with his eyes.

The blacksmith eyed the two brothers speculatively, then with a huff nodded "I will, I guess." his tone changed " But beware, even if you gain my approval today, you are both clearly quite far from having mastered their full potential!"  
"Keh! Of course we know as much!" InuYasha retorted for the two of them – and once more his elder seemed to agreed, making Tsukiko muse that it probably was the first time both of them had been that much on the same wavelength

Totosai nodded, apparently satisfied with the answer – then after a moment of silence commented "Well get on with it, brats! Fight!"  
"Er... aren't you the one supposed to test them?" Kagome pointed out, everyone around her just as bewildered by the sudden exigence  
"Bah! Don't talk nonsense, child, I'm a blacksmith, not a fighter!"

"I guess it is as good an occasion to test your progress as any other." Sesshoumaru commented in his usual idle tone, whole demeanor suddenly changing  
"Keh! Don't underestimate me!" InuYasha retorted with a feral smile  
"Oh, but I don't little brother." the elder inu affirmed as he rushed toward him  
The hanyou barely dodged the attack, but was immediately rushing back into the fight, dismissing with but a thought the notification that had just popped in Chaos Interface

 **[Event LV150! Once more into the breach...  
Goal: **Survive Sesshoumaru's "Improvement Test" alone  
 **Bonus goal:** gain Totosai approval  
 **Reward:** +50XP , +1 Beginner Fighting Skill Tome upon completion  
 **Bonus Reward:** +100XP, unlocks **Totosai's** **Sharpening** Perk (Tessaiga evolve into a leveling item) upon completion]

"No fair!" Tsukiko complained as the two brothers battled "How come they get to have fun!"  
"Your definition of fun is really twisted, Tsuki-chan." Kagome commented with an incredulous look "Trying to maim each other isn't supposed to be fun!"

"Anyway," interrupted the old blacksmith, eyes focusing on both girl at the same time "How is it that I can feel both of you possessing my work when I've never seen you before, little goddess, little miko?"  
"We're time-travelers." answered bluntly the ookami, making her friend sweat-drop at the casual way she was dropping such an unexpected answer  
Or not that unexpected maybe, as the blacksmith only mumbled a thoughtful "Of course!" in answer all the while continuing to watch the two brothers fight.

Or rather Sesshoumaru play around with a barely holding on InuYasha.  
Still, the hanyou had clearly improved as he was now managing to survive alone where they'd barely manage as a pack a few weeks before, Kagome noted – Miroku, by her side clearly coming to the same conclusion, if she was hearing correctly what he was explaining Sango.

As for their alpha – the young girl was now lazily propped on one of the lower branches of a nearby tree, Padfoot lying by her side. Kagome did a double take – they sighed as she confirmed, if only to herself, that yes, Padfoot really had somehow climbed a tree to sleep in it... what kind of dog, even a holy one, did that? Tsukiko didn't see a problem with the situation as she was watching father and uncle fight, as one would watch a match on TV, popcorn in hands – the young miko wondered if abusing her **Inventory** to stash sweets shouldn't go against some kind of holy law, but it clearly didn't seem to be the case...

A powered down Kaze no Kizu finally gave InuYasha the advantage long enough to from him to manage to land a hit on his brother, the inu youkai forced to jump out of the way of the attack, that even when not full-blown still was dangerous, only be grazed at the hip by his brother's claws, the hanyou having ducked low to surprise him.  
"I've seen what I want." Totosai announced as both brother were jumping back to prepare their next attack

Both turned toward him, head tilted in the same canine motion, And Totosai announced "Sesshoumaru-sama, " a small frown "I don't really understand why but you've recently gained some small measure of approval from the Tenseiga." the inu youkai eyes lit in surprise at that affirmation "Prove to me that she's right, master her first ability, and I'll make you a coming of age weapon worthy of a lord." he promised before turning toward the hanyou "As for you, you're soft." he affirmed, then went on stopping any protest before it could be verbalized "So I'll sharpen that blade for you."  
"Eh?"  
"Tessaiga is way too dangerous a weapon to be given to any blood-thirsty youkai! While she fights for you, I know that the Kaze no Kizu wont be cut without reason." he concluded with a smile

 **[Goal complete!** +50XP, +1 Beginner Fighting Skill Tome  
 **Bonus goal complete!** +100XP, **Totosai's** **Sharpening** Perk (Tessaiga evolve into a leveling item) unlocked]

[locked-weapon **Tessaiga** **(LV100:** +300Damage / +1000HP) evolve into leveling-weapon **Tessaiga** **(LV1** : +3 St, +10 damage, +1 Air damage, +1 Enhancement space)]  
 **[Inu no Taishou's Protection** Enhancement used on **Tessaiga (LV1)**!  
+1000HP]

 **[Level up!** Tessaiga is now level 101!  
+30 St, +198 damage, +16 Air damage, +1 Enhancement space]

InuYasha's eyes widened as he received back Tessaiga – the difference barely noticeable to the naked eye, as it did indeed look that the blacksmith had only cleaned and sharpened it – but the power he felt in the blade far different from before, something that didn't escape the rest of the pack and the inu youkai as all gazed appreciatively at the blade.  
Job done, Totosai disappeared as swiftly as he had appeared.

¤.¤.¤

"My lord! You're not following him?"  
As the annoying voice echoed, the pack finally realized that Sesshoumaru's retainer had indeed been there all along, hidden behind his mount – the youkai eyed him with disdain "Why should I do something that useless?" he rhetorically asked before finally ignoring him again, turning toward InuYasha "You've improved." he noted "Good." he added, before dismissing his brother too, to head toward his daughter, under the half bemused half amused eyes of said brother, who still couldn't believe his seemingly cold brother had changed that fast when it came to the child-goddess he'd only seen two times

"Musume."  
The young ookami eyes warmed as always when her father was around, but she kept herself to the traditional answer, bowing her greetings in return "Chichi-ue."  
"Your pack has grown yet again." the inu remarked  
"We travel a lot." she answered as only explanation  
"You've met that hanyou again." he affirmed rather than asked  
"He may not be all that powerful, he's dangerous." Tsukiko said, as always understanding in the short sentence all her father wanted to know "He hates oji-san, has cursed Miroku-san and killed most of Sango-chan's people. And he is also after the shards."  
"The lords have decided that a hanyou couldn't be a danger to our society." her father announced, disgust rather clear in his tone – informing her in one go both that the hanyou was sowing enough trouble that the Cardinal Lords had to discuss whether to decreed him an enemy of all youkai, and that the negative result of the vote wasn't his doing

She sighed – in this era, her father was just beginning to get respect from the three other lords, who would never had dismissed his opinion so easily in her own time, and the powerful albeit young daiyoukai clearly despised the situation.  
"You don't usually take Ah-Un out for short patrols." Tsukiko noted as they had wandered toward the two-headed dragon, that was purring under her ministrations  
"The lord of the East is not as stupid as the two others." Sesshoumaru stated bluntly "We're having a talk about an alliance against the nuisance."  
"But you can't kill him because of the Lord Decree, can't you?"  
"Nothing in that forbid us from protecting our territory."

She smiled – seems that even as young and still power-obsessed, her father already took his duties as a Lord seriously enough that he would go out of his way to protect his people.  
"We're heading East too." she pointed out  
Her father smiled lightly, catching on her unvoiced invitation and accepting it the same way "Jaken, head out with Ah-Un, we'll meet up there."  
"But my lord..." the small kappa started protesting – before stopping just as fast at the cold glare turned toward him

"Feh!" was InuYasha's only reaction when he realized the pack was taking the road again – Sesshoumaru walking by his daughter's side mostly silent as the girl effortlessly erased the pack natural wariness toward the daiyoukai by making all of them caught up in yet another one of her oral lesson, this time pointing out the difference in knowledge about youkai between holy servants and tajiya and comparing them to the actual facts about them – even managing to have the daiyoukai himself explain a few things.  
Three days later, as they were approaching the region from where the shards rumors originated from, both white-haired daiyoukai attention's was suddenly grabbed – InuYasha and Shippou catching on but a heartbeat later...  
"Blood!" the kit was the one to announce to the three humans of the group

"And a shard... But it's fading fast... and its gone!" noted Kagome  
"There's also youki headed our way, but it's rather faint." Tsukiko noted – without concerting each other, the pack started to move faster, Kagome getting on Padfoot's back while Sango and Miroku both went with Kirara  
Now going faster, they soon were at the outskirt of a small town, the smell of blood now so over-powering even the humans could feel it...

"the wolf-tribe beasts pack have been feasting." Sesshoumaru identified with disdain easy to hear in his voice  
"On humans?" couldn't but whisper feebly Kagome "I knew some youkai did it but still..."  
"Seeing it is different." nodded Tsukiko, already by her friend side to comfort her – Shippou also jumping on the young miko's shoulder

InuYasha and Sesshoumaru shared a glance, the two brother the only ones to realize the young daiyoukai was comforting herself just as much her friend "All species cohabit in the future." the hanyou realized yet again – he had understood it meant peace with the holy being, and acceptance for the hanyou – it also meant human eating species must have either changed their way, or died out he now added to his understanding of the future  
The Lord of the West understood just as fast as him – just as the pack stumbled on the first wolf youkai, the beasts not wasting a second in fleeing at the sight of the daiyoukai cold glare, leaving behin their latest victim without having had the time to make a meal out of the little girl.

"So young..." Kagome whispered, trying to restrain a sob  
"Too young." Tsukiko echoed, and even if she wasn't crying, contrary to the miko, she was just as shaken, just like the rest of the pack  
Used to it the part of the pack that was from this era might be, it didn't make seeing young children dead any easier.

Even the cold daiyoukai couldn't help but let a hint of pity seep into his eyes as he approached the body that wasn't even cold – given what he knew about human child, she was about just as old as his own daughter or the kit that traveled with her pack, and the mark of a beating that couldn't have been dished out by the wolves was still visible under the bites that had ended her short life...

Sesshoumaru nearly didn't realize that Tenseiga was pulsing by his side, until he suddenly was seeing several small green oni all armed with long weapon.  
"Pall-bearer." Tsukiko, who'd come to his side when she felt the Tenseiga, whispered "The servants of death charged with taking the souls of the dead back to the netherworld in this era..." she explained softly  
She hadn't finished talking that Tenseiga had already slid out of it's sheath, and been put to use for the first time by her father.  
The four little servants disappeared under the sword, directly propelled out of the living world – and a heart started beating again...

"Well," Tsukiko noted with a smile both amused and softly approving "Seems to me like you've gained a ward."  
At that, the little girl opened her eyes, and somehow they shone with awe "You've sent them away! They were taking me away, and then they left!"  
The young ookami eyebrow shot up at the candid affirmation, that could only mean one thing – the little child remembered her brief time dead, something that in turn could only mean one thing...  
"And a powerful little miko at that." she added to her previous comment

"We should follow the trail of the wolves." InuYasha said, interrupting, as loathe as he was to, the cute scene "They're probably the ones with the shard, and if this is the result each time they eat..."  
"You're right." the alpha nodded, duty at the forefront of her mind once more "Well, I guess this is where our road part."

"For now, musume." the lord nodded, before eyeing dubiously the little human girl that was apparently now his ward  
"Rin's name is Rin!" she announced "Rin can walk!"  
"She'll be weak for a few days." Tsukiko contradicted, reminding her father "Humans aren't as resilient as us." the daiyoukai nodded, understanding that she knew far more about the topic than him – and he couldn't let the child die from simple neglect now that she was his to protect, he'd have to observe a bit how humans acted with their offspring "For now let her mount Padfoot until you meet back with Ah-Un."

With that the pack was on his way, while the daiyoukai was heading his own way, Padfoot and Rin with him.  
"She looks like you." the little girl was already chattering innocently "She is beautiful, like an angel! And she was even shinning when I was going away, it made me a lot less afraid than the ugly imps!"  
Sesshoumaru, even if he didn't outwardly react to the affirmation did take note of it – he had already known that his future daughter held the touch of death in her aura, and had witnessed her kindness with the mu onna, but apparently even the little girl had felt, if not understood, what she truly was...

Then his mind went back to what his daughter had said – he'd have to train the young miko before she became dangerous; at least he now knew that holy being didn't have to be trained to only harm youkai, Kagome and his own daughter were clear proof of it.  
Even if he didn't know how to do it, it couldn't be that complicated – he'd learned to master both his spiritual and physical powers when younger before learning the more advanced uses of youki, and reiki was just a special kind of spiritual powers...

Oblivious to the hellish training regimen that was profiling itself in her horizon, Rin was chatting, now talking to Padfoot, even thought he couldn't verbally answer, since Sesshoumaru didn't seem to like talking too much.  
As for the Grimm, he was restraining a whine.  
She wasn't a bad kid – but gods knew she could talk a few miles an hour...

¤.¤.¤

Meanwhile, Shadow's Pack had pick up the pace yet again, rushing on the trail of the beasts that had been scared away by Sesshoumaru – Kagome soon feeling yet again the Shikon shards she had earlier, proving they were on the right trail...  
And finally – they caught up with the wolves, a lot less afraid now that Sesshoumaru wasn't there to scare them away with a glare. Of course, Kagome realized faintly as Sango swung her Hiraikotsu, their alpha probably could have done the same, but then they'd never caught up with the shards still moving much faster than a normal youkai. Within minutes, the beasts were realizing that they may have tried to chew on something too big for them, and with a long howl, were calling help to them.  
"What the fuck do you think you're doing!"

The new-comer was looking rather wild for a daiyoukai, the young miko noted, wearing furs and speaking just as coarsely as their own beta, with whom he was already butting head...  
"Wolf tribe youkai aren't daiyoukai," Tsukiko contradicted her lightly, as if reading her mind "They are one of the few youkai species born looking humans, but live in symbiosis with their wolves, and share the same instincts as them."  
"Oh. So they're not ookami like you?"  
"They're not." Shippou confirmed "True ookami are really rare." he explained, remembering his own father's lessons "It's just like the difference between youko and us kitsune..."

Kagome would have asked more about it – but the two strong-headed male that had been verbally assaulting each other until now were now preparing to attack each other, youki swirling around.  
The wolf-tribe youkai was rather good at that, they soon noted, as they realized he was swift enough to avoid InuYasha's attacks – the young miko focused on him, trying to pinpoint where the usual feeling associated with the shards was coming from...  
"He's got three untainted shards!" she announced, clearly surprised " Two in his legs, and one in his right arm!"  
"How can his shards be untainted?" protested Sango "He eats humans!"  
"Ah but Tsuki-hime just told us, didn't she... He follows his instincts, so he doesn't eat humans as an evil act, he just doesn't see us as anything but food." Miroku was the one to explain  
"In other words, he doesn't know better." Shippou pointed out "He may look human, you've got to think about it as if he was a powerful beast youkai, just another of the wolves."

As for said youkai – his eyes widened as InuYasha started to focus on his blade – and just as the hanyou would have released the Kaze no Kizu, he jumped back, wolves following suit "That smelled really dangerous!" he commented, before letting out a sharp howl "Let's fall back for now!"  
"I can't believe he just ran away!" protested InuYasha loudly  
"More to the point... He smelled how dangerous your Kaze no Kizu was, that's some sharp senses and survival instincts!" pointed out Miroku "Getting to these shards could be more complicated than expected..."  
With that, they were back on the wolves' trail, that was heading into the mountains depth.

"There's a new youki present." soon pointed out Shippou, the beta having missed it because he was too focused of the trail  
"And a more evil feeling to it." added Kagome "Shards that are corrupted this time." she completed with a frown

 **[Secondary quest! A pack's fate...**  
 **Goal:** follow the wolves trail  
 **Reward:** +25XP per goal, +1 Enhancement Stone upon completion]

"Well, guess there must be more to it than we know..." Kagome commented as the new quest appeared  
"Tch. What the fuck could be so interesting about this nuisance!" the hanyou protested immediately  
"Wow, InuYasha's really annoyed at the wolf." Shippou laughed  
"Well he did call oji-san a dog-turd." the alpha pointed out, clearly amused "I think the two must be too similar to like each other."  
"Now that you've said it..." Kagome mused "The two are just as brash and loud-mouthed... and he must be just as bad as InuYasha used to be with feeling out youki that isn't aiming at harming him...I mean he didn't even acknowledged Tsuki-chan's presence, and she's clearly the most powerful among us!"

"We're catching up with them." InuYasha interrupted, before adding with a frown "But it's not logical, they've slowed down."  
"'But we're in the middle of nowhere!" Shippou protested  
"Exactly." the beta confirmed, noses still twitching "And now they've split up. That confirms it then..."  
"A trap." Sango completed, weapon now at the ready  
"But what for?" Kagome wondered as they approached the few wolves that they'd caught up with

"Only one way to know!" the young kitsune said with an amused smile  
"Spring the trap!" the beta confirmed, Tessaiga once more at the ready  
Kagome sighed as she realized that – of course – Tsukiko wholeheartedly agreed, and even Sango...

"We're the only two voice of reason in this whole pack, aren't we, Miroku-san?" she couldn't help but comment  
A loud mewl of protest later "And you too of course, Kirara." the cat let out a contented purr at the confirmation before shifting to it's larger form, all claws out

"Kirara is right," nodded Miroku, water starting to appear around him "there's no helping it..."  
The young priestess smiled, and got her weapon out too. She may have preferred a more pacifist approach, she would still stand by her pack's side.  
Moments later, the fight was on – and just as predicted, an ambush.  
"They're trying to get Kagome isolated!" Miroku was the first on to understand  
"Well, let's give them what they want then." the girl suggested, under the loud protests of her pack "This way, we'll know why they want me. It's not like I'll be helpless, if worst come to worst I'll be able to hold a barrier until you come and get me."  
"Kagome-chan is right." Tsukiko was the one to admit, even if she clearly didn't like the plan any more than her beta

 **[Goal complete!** +25XP **  
Goal update:** find the wolves lair **  
Bonus goal complete!** +50XP  
 _you've sprung the trap_  
 **Bonus goal update:** return the trap against it's maker]

With that, the pack was soon discretely letting itself be herded in different direction, getting slowly but surely separated from the young miko – who then feigned stumbling, only to be swiftly snatched by the youkai from earlier.  
"Well," Tsukiko stated rather coldly, as the pack stopped holding back "lets follow."

Within moments the wolves that had been left behind to hinder them were dispatched, and they were following the trail left by Shippou, who'd gone right after Kagome.  
Soon enough, they were by a waterfall.  
"This is the wolf-tribe's lair." the young kitsune announced "I couldn't get in without being sensed."  
As for Kagome – alone in the foreign pack's lair, she wasn't too afraid.

The wolves, human-looking or not, had all been surprised when she'd shown up with her kidnapper – apparently, the young wolf was called Kouga, and the next alpha to be of the pack from what she was hearing around.  
Without surprise, their first reflex had been to see her as food – but Kouga had soon dissuaded them, finally explaining what she wanted with her. In retrospective, it should have been quite obvious...  
It was her ability to sense the shards that he wanted.

On their way to the lair, they'd been attacked by a flock of half-human looking bird youkai he'd called the Gokuraku-chou – and apparently this was an enemy youkai tribe, whose leader was empowered by Shikon shards, and who was making use of said shards to wilt down the wolf pack, thus making Kouga hunt shards of his own to protect his pack.  
Of course, he didn't say it in that many words – but Kagome had grown rather used to interpret the few grumbles of another canine youkai and as such managed to infer as much rather easily.

Now, looking around the large cave – she could see that the wolves weren't in a good shape, quite a few of them visibly hurt, and some of them looking rather underfed...  
"With your ability to see the shards, we can attack their nest, and take their boss' shards!" Kouga affirmed loudly "This way we'll beat him and they won't be able to eat anymore of us!"

 **[Goal complete!** +25XP  
 **Goal update:** confront the wolf-tribe pack  
 **Bonus goal complete!** +50XP  
 **Bonus goal update:** learn why Kouga abducted Kagome]  
 **[Bonus goal complete!** +50XP]

With a smile at the notifications flashing on her interface, Kagome realized that her pack must be just beside the waterfall - as for Kouga, seeing her smile, he was suddenly observing her "Come to think of it... you're rather cute! That's it, you'll be my woman!"  
"But Kouga," a nearby wolf protested "she's human!"

"And more importantly," a sweet, calm, and deadly dangerous voice added "she's part of my pack and there's no way I'm giving her to you against her own will."  
Kouga jumped back, ready to fight, facing the unknown voice.  
"Who are you!" he loudly demanded  
"Need I really say it?" Tsukiko wondered lightly  
A new voice echoed – weak with sickness yet clearly used to be obeyed "Stand down, Kouga."  
"But, alpha..."

The old wolf that was laboriously getting up did indeed wear the same mark as Tsukiko.  
That was when Kagome realized – that most of the injured were the ones wearing pack mark, and the one still up around her didn't have them. Used as she was to human standard she hadn't realized up until then that it meant that most of those up and about around her were all kids in the eyes of youkai...  
"I didn't know the pup had an heir," the old wolf was commenting, "but there's no mistaking this aura, young alpha."  
"Your son is powerful, but way too brash. I doubt you didn't teach him not to poach other packs."  
"Kouga," the old alpha sighed at that "she's right."  
"But... she's human! Humans aren't pack, they're food!"

"We may have been reduce to eating them because of starvation, you should well know this weren't always our ways." the old alpha contradicted "And human or not she clearly bears the smell of the House of Moon!"  
Around them, Shadow's pack could hear mutters – some agreeing, other clearly discontent about the reminder. With an injured alpha, this pack was clearly falling apart, despite the young wolf effort to keep them together.

"But if I claim her for our pack..."  
This time, Kagome had enough of the protest – and she stepped back from the wolf, reiki spiking just enough let a burnt mark but not harm him anymore.  
"That's enough! Didn't you hear one word of my alpha? Or worse, yours?" she asked – she maybe kind, and rather tolerant, it didn't mean she would let herself be treated like a possession to claim by a misogynist idiot  
A new fire was lit in the wolf's eyes.

"Oh my," Shippou muttered "he's a masochist idiot..."  
As if to confirm the kit's words, Kouga was stepping toward her once more, now pleading "Please be my woman!"  
"She just said no!" InuYasha protested  
With that – both were once more insulting the other under both packs bemused eyes.  
"Well, lets talk while the idiots are busy." Tsukiko sighed, turning her attention back to the old alpha  
"What can my pack do for you?" the old wolf asked "Despite how inadvertent it was, we did poach one of your member, no matter how temporary it was."

¤.¤.¤

Tsukiko sighed "The only thing we're after I doubt you'd relinquish."  
"The shards." the old alpha understood easily enough, a glint of surprise still visible in his eyes "Still I didn't think you'd bother with them."  
"This," she said pointing at Kagome who, rather than keep listening to InuYasha and Kouga was heading toward the injured "is the Shikon no miko."  
Understanding lightened in the old wolf's eyes.

"If it was only me I'd give you the blasted things." his eyes darkened "They bring nothing but discord, even among mine."  
"But you can't afford to as long as you're hunted." the younger alpha concluded easily enough, before shrugging "If we take care of the Gokuraku-chou's leader, will you relinquish them?"  
"We will."  
The affirmation was somehow heard by his son despite the ongoing argument with InuYasha.

"You can't mean that, oyaji!" he protested  
"I told you I didn't approve when you took them." harshly reminded him his father "These things are dangerous!"  
"All bark and no bite eh." added InuYasha with a smirk "All this talk about beating me up yet you need these things to add to your own power? Pathetic!"  
With that – the two were at each others throat again.

But somehow, the two alpha noted, InuYasha's comment seemed to have been heard, it could be seen in the young wolf's behavior.  
Then, awed whispers were heard from where Kagome had wandered to – and the old alpha was just as awed as his pack to realize that the miko had healed several of his tribesmen...  
"She can't help herself, eh," Sango commented with an amused smile "she may fight with us, she's really a healer at heart."

"Well," the wolf alpha said with a smile "this is something I hadn't though to see in my lifetime, a miko healing youkai... We tried to take one of yours and you're repaying us by saving us..."  
As for Kouga – he was falling in love with Kagome all over "See! This girl, human she may be... This girl has what it takes to be a mate worthy of an alpha! Worthy of me!"  
"Kagome will be a good female alpha," Tsukiko nodded, earning surprised glance from all her pack, before adding "but as for you being an alpha... Start by earning your stripes, pup."

The remark made InuYasha burst out laughing, but this time he managed not to let himself being taunted once more by the wolf, as his alpha, with a glance, had called him to her side "Kagome will be tired by so much healing." she was soon saying "so I guess for once I can be the one telling you where to strike." and toward her fellow alpha "If you could spare one wolf to point us at the birds?"  
"Kouga." the alpha gaze was hard as he stared at his son "Go with them, and behave."

The wolf looked ready to protest – then after a glance at the now focused InuYasha, nodded "I won't disappoint you, alpha." he affirmed  
Tsukiko smiled at that – brash and loudmouthed he maybe, she could clearly see the potential to be a great alpha in him.  
"Shippou, Miroku."  
"We'll stay with Kagome-sama." the monk nodded, guessing at her intent, while Sango marched toward InuYasha and her  
"As for us..." a feral smile, quite impressive for a human "Let's hunt." the tajiya stated

 **[Goal complete!** +25XP  
 **Goal update:** defeat Gokuraku-chou's leader  
 **Bonus goal complete!** +50XP  
 _you've healed the wolves_ ]

With that, they were off.  
"You want to ask something." Tsukiko soon noted at the puzzled expression on the wolf's face  
"You aren't afraid of leaving them with youkai?" he finally blurted "You all know we eat humans, yet she healed us, and you let her!"  
"Your alpha won't let them come to harm." the young ookami answered easily  
"And the three of them aren't weak enough that they'd be beaten. Your best warriors may be healed, they'll still need some rest, and the rest are but brats." added InuYasha with a shrug

"And mistaking Miroku-sama and Kagome-sama kindness for weakness would be foolish." Sango added her own opinion "Both are powerful holy servants, they may prefer healing, they are still able to kill if need be. Even Shippou, as young as he is, has been forced to learn to fight."  
The wolf nodded rather thoughtfully, then his eyes hardened "Here it is," he said, pointing at a tall peak "The Gokuraku-chou's lair."

The half-human birds had seen their approach, thanks to the clear viewpoint their lair gave them, and as such quite a few of them were already rushing toward them, only to be met seamlessly by Sango's hiraikotsu, Kirara right behind her, soon followed by InuYasha and Tsukiko's blades.  
Taking a second to admire the perfect teamwork of the patchwork pack, Kouga wasn't far behind them, not wanting strangers to do all the hard work to save his clan.

Wave after wave of birds weren't enough to stop them, Kouga noted – and what a strange change it was for him not to be the uncontested strongest of the fighters!  
InuYasha, as loath as he was to admit, was just as good as him – without shards – and his Kaze no Kizu truly dangerous, even the human female was far stronger than he'd ever seen a human, a clear and proud member of the strange pack.

As for the young alpha...  
The wolf was still wondering how the hell he'd been obtuse enough not to realize what kind of powers she held during their first encounter, to focus only on her beta...

Then, the leader of the birds appeared right in front of them – easily twice as big as the rest of the small fries, and with two fraternal brothers sharing the bird's body "How kind of you to bring your shards to us, wolf-tribe brat!" the left one laughed  
"And with those, we'll finally be able to finish off you furry nuisances!" the right one added, laughing

Kouga saw red at that, and jump toward the large youkai – realizing too late it was exactly what it had been aiming at as it's large mouth bit at his arm. Jumping back, the wolf managed to save his arm, but not the shard that had been embedded in it.  
"Funny how weaklings seems to think that a bit of ill-gained power will suddenly make them able to play with the big guys." Tsukiko commented idly as she jumped toward the large youkai, landing right between the two brothers

And beheading the two of them in a motion so swift Kouga could barely seen it...  
With that said, she landed lightly on the ground just as the now dead leaders of the birds fell out of the sky, and stepped inside the large mouth with a small frown of distaste, grabbing the shard that had just been stolen, and the other two that were embedded not too far.

 **[Secondary quest complete!** +25XP  
 **Reward:** +25XP per goal, +1 Enhancement Stone to be chosen]

Kouga gaped.  
The remaining Gokuraku-chou fled.  
"Yeah, seeing her get serious does that." nodded sagely InuYasha at the wolf's reaction, not even mocking him

"What is she..." the wolf couldn't help but whisper in wonder  
"A true-born daiyoukai." the hanyou pointed out, before adding "But most of all, someone who relies on her own powers."  
The wolf understood the not so discreet barb, and his eyes traveled to two remaining shards on his legs.

¤.¤.¤

"You don't need those now." InuYasha pointed out "And they'll stop hampering your progress."  
With a swift move of his claws, Kouga took the two Shikon shards out, resolutely vowing "I'll be the fastest even without them."  
"You will." Tsukiko confirmed as she accepted the two small crystalline shards  
With that said, they were heading back to the wolves' lair, where the rest of their pack was waiting for them.

"Tsuki-chan!" Kagome was calling as soon as they entered the cave  
The girl didn't take long to realize what was distressing her friend – as Padfoot, who after leaving Rin and Sesshoumaru had gone up to met with the second half of the pack, was whining at a small, newborn pup...  
"The mother was too weak to survive," Kagome explained "and most of the pups were still-born," she added with eyes shinning with tears "but this one, he isn't dead yet!" she protested, before admitting "But I can't heal him..."

"Death is a part of life, child." the old alpha wolf tried to comfort the miko  
"I know!" she affirmed, yet her eyes were still trailed on the small, weak form Padfoot was trying to keep warm "I know..." she repeated, trying to convince herself that she should know better than anyone, after all, wasn't her best friend a goddess of death herself? "But still..." she protested weakly, seeing such a small life already ending wrenching her heart

Tsukiko barely registered that yet again, her eyes were bleeding into green as she focused of the small life ending.  
While sad – there was no helping it, the pup had not been meant to live...  
But Kagome's pleading eyes were making the goddess wonder, and so she eyed the young priestess speculatively. The wolf wouldn't live as he was now, but there was a way to give him a new life, yet Kagome wasn't the right person for this.

Her eyes turned further, toward the other holy servant present. Miroku on the other hand – she smiled, as she realized that yes, the priest was someone that could do it.  
"Miroku."  
The priest gaze snapped toward her, catching on the otherworldly nature her tone had unwittingly gained, and understanding what she was going to ask was important.  
"Yes, alpha?"  
"Will you become my priest? Uphold the balance between life and death, fight against those that seek to cheat death and help those that work to maintain balance in the world?"

His eyes darted to the pup, and she smiled – knowing that the intelligent man had understood what she meant to do.  
"If you make him mine, he'll die with me from the kazaana." he couldn't help but protest  
"Your life was never meant to end with a curse Miroku. I won't let you be taken by that cursed hand." the young goddess swore, repeating to the priest what she'd already swore to his master  
"Then I'll be yours, Shadow." another glance at the pup, and he corrected himself "We'll be yours."  
"Thank you."

Power surged, a new notification appearing on Chaos Interface notifying Miroku that he was now **Otherworldly** **Attuned** , then, as the powers took hold of the dying pup – who disappeared in a swirl of shadows only to reappear, reborn thanks to the holy powers, that he'd gained a holy familiar...

 **[Holy System** updated!  
 **Miroku** _(priest LV 91)_ has been added to the holy servants  
 **?** _(shadow wolf, Miroku's familiar LV1)_ has been added to the holy servants]

[ **Hallows** skill reached rank 55!]  
 **[Magic Art** affinity reached 10/25]

Tsukiko carefully didn't react as she saw the holy skill progress for the first time in this life – but silently noted that she felt far less spent that she used to be in her previous life when using powers that weren't meant for the Mortal Realms.  
Kagome happy eyes when she realized the pup would live made it worth it.

"Feh. Still too kind, stupid brat." teased InuYasha, yet eyes following the new addition to their pack with a small smile  
"I don't see what you mean." she protested automatically "In the end, I'm the one who gained two servants."

"At your own health detriment." her uncle pointed out "You're tired, alpha."  
"That's nothing compared to how bad it used to be." she admitted "I just need a bit of rest."  
"Well, that settles it then," the beta decided "Old alpha, we're spending the night." he declared to the old wolf  
"You're welcome to it." said wolf answered without any hesitation – and really, how could he refuse them after all they'd done for his pack and realizing just what the young alpha really was?


	12. Game On 30 XI Children of Naraku

Hi!  
So - wow - thanks again for all the comments, it's always really fulfilling to realize people like my story! So I'm rushing a bit the publishing of this chapter but at least you'll have the next part of the story since my writing time is irregular theses days...

One comment asked me about a return in the HP-verse : it is something I intend to do,even if it will be a heavy AU.

Hope you enjoy the chapter.

* * *

 **Chapter XI September 1996 Children of Naraku**

A surprisingly fussy InuYasha insisted that they recall back to Edo the next day, in spite of Tsukiko being still a bit tired, but not that bad that she needed bed-rest...  
Kagome had laughed at the hanyou, who after mocking Sesshoumaru for his mother-hen ways was becoming just as bad toward his alpha.  
Still, being back to Edo wasn't all that bad, as it let Kagome drop by the future and Mahoutokoro to get her usual load of school work, and see her family a bit, while Tsukiko and Miroku had spent the afternoon talking about the kind of powers the priest were now specifically attuned now that he'd made her his main deity.

"There's one thing I don't really understand," Sango wondered as she was training Shippou nearby, not really listening to their technical holy blabber "Why the perverted houshi rather than your best friend?"  
"Kagome-chan could never be my miko." Tsukiko stated simply "She's too full of life to accept that easily that all must die one day."  
"Kagome-sama is a healer at heart, you said it yourself." Shippou reminded the tajiya  
"She'd be more suited to Life." Tsukiko confirmed with a serene smile

As for Shippou – seeing that the training session was over, he was now playing with the new pup, trying to shift to a similar form, as after his new birth the pup now looked as if he was a couple of months rather than just born.  
"So he's like Padfoot now?" the kit asked as he popped back to his normal form  
"Similar." Tsukiko nodded "Shadow Wolves are a form of Grimm, but Padfoot has the advantage of being a godly familiar rather than a holy one, but that's an advantage that's rather minimal in the Mortal Realms."

Said Grimm was playing with the wolf pup too, having shifted back to his smaller form – to Tsukiko's fond but exasperate sigh "You're going to abuse this size again aren't you, you lazy mutt?"  
The doggy grin he harbored was more than enough of an answer.  
Miroku meanwhile had been starting to meditate a bit on his new gifts, when he suddenly opened back his eyes, and affirmed, surprised himself "Kagome-san is back."  
True enough, Tsukiko could now smell and feel the girl being back from the well, but more importantly...  
"Well, you've gotten your first hold on **Soul Art."** the alpha congratulated the priest

"You're living constantly with this?"  
"It's just like another other sense," she reassured him "Just a background noise as long as I don't need it. But yes, I can feel all the souls around me, their emotions, their fated lifespan, and even their surface thoughts if I focus on them. Their identity is an evidence to me even if I've never see them before... Several miles around."  
Kagome and InuYasha, who'd arrived just in time to hear the explanation didn't have anything to say – just as the rest of the pack – realizing once more that as restrained as her powers were down there, they really were traveling with a goddess...

The moment of silence was broken by the small bark of the wolf pup still playing with Padfoot, making Kagome wonder "So... What did you name him, Miroku-sama?"  
Surprised at the question, then realizing he'd indeed not shared his choice of name with the pack, he announced "I named her Shingetsu, for she was given a new life thanks to the moon."  
Tsukiko smiled at the rather poetic name – the houshi did tend to surprise them with his wisdom or love of poetry, as his antics as a pervert toward Sango nearly made people forget he was much more than just a leecher.

"Nee-san!" the surprised shout made the girl smile  
Kohaku wasn't there when they'd arrived in Edo, apparently the child had taken an interest in Jinenji's garden, and as such spent more and more time in the neighboring village – and just like Kaede had affirmed, spending time with the kind hanyou had already started healing the young boy, who was looking far less withdrawn and much happier than when they left Edo a few weeks earlier.

¤.¤.¤

When they left Edo again the next day, Sango was far happier, a weight lifted of her shoulders now that she knew that her brother was getting better and even learning a trade that suited him much better than being a tajiya had.  
They were headed to the north-east, Kaede having heard rumors in a mountain village a week away about a newly appeared abomination. While on the road, the pack was training like always, Shingetsu soon starting to grow up as he gained levels fast simply by staying by Miroku's side during the Arena fights or Hunting Spots, under the rest of the pack bemused eyes.

"I don't see why you're that surprised." Shippou was the one to point out "Padfoot's just the same."  
The pack had nothing to retort at that – the kitsune was right after all, they just hadn't noticed because that Grimm was already grown when they'd met him.

By then, they'd reached the village Kaede had steered them to, and interrogated the villagers.  
Apparently there used to be a bear who'd regularly attack they fields – then one day changed, and went from stealing crops to killing villagers...  
"How could a normal beast be corrupted thought?" Kagome wondered as they started to track the monster  
"What about if it was voluntarily corrupted?" Miroku wondered, as they stumbled upon the beast

And indeed, what had formerly been a bear had now become a monstrosity not even deserving the name of youkai – but still, the monster wasn't all that strong, and in mere moments, they'd nearly bested it.  
Only for it to be swarmed saimyoushou, who snatched the shard away, the beast falling to the ground, already a decomposed cadaver.  
"Damn it! Of course Naraku would be the one behind something like this!" InuYasha swore as they rushed after the shard  
"Still, it's a bit fishy, isn't it?" wondered Shippou "I mean the saimyoushou just happened to be there to take back the shard when we attacked? What would even be the point of putting a shard in the bear in the first place?"

"A trap again, then." concluded Miroku with a frown  
"Still, we'd better take a look anyway." Sango pointed out "That bastard tend to mix innocents in his schemes."  
The others nodded, remembering how he'd sent Kohaku kill random villagers to draw Sango's attention, or how he'd tried to destroy the whole tajiya village to steal their shards...

 **[New Secondary Quest! Free as the Wind...  
Goal:** Learn more about Naraku's new pawn  
 **Reward:** +25XP per goal, +1 beginner Elemental skill book upon completion]

"Too late." Tsukiko commented as their mad dash led them out of the forest, and near a large shiro, where no sound could be heard, and the smell of blood was overpowering  
"Those are..."  
"Men from the wolves-tribes!" Shippou concluded having too recognized some of the bodies  
Bodies of men and wolves clearly dead, yet that were starting to move under their disbelieving eyes.  
"They're being controlled." Tsukiko concluded in a venomous voice "And there's two strange presences inside. One is probably one Naraku's puppets, the other is similar to him, yet isn't."  
"One of those two is probably controlling the corpses," Sango deducted easily enough "We'll have to split up."

"I'll go," Miroku said, looking focused "I can feel them." he affirmed, surprising once more Tsukiko with the speed at which he was progressing  
"I'll go with houshi-sama." immediately volunteered Sango, not surprising anyone – but no one protesting either as the teaming was valid  
"We'll search for the second presence." Kagome decided for her and Shippou, the kit nodding along  
"Well oji-san," Tsukiko smiled, amused "Looks like it's you and I!"

With that, the pack split up, and uncle and niece went on the offensive.  
It was a few minutes later, as both were hacking against corpses that were getting up again and again, that Tsukiko, then InuYasha, felt a new presence approaching far too fast for it to be natural, and with a familiar smell...

A few weeks – hell even a few days earlier – Kouga would have probably jumped to conclusion upon happening on the bloody scene that greeted him at the shiro.  
After all, InuYasha and Tsukiko were both drenched in the blood of his pack-mates that had headed out with the northern tribe toward the rumor of shards in an unprotected shiro despite their alpha's orders to the contrary.

When one lone survivor had made it back to the pack's caves, he'd taken the shard against his better judgment, knowing something that could have run through most of two packs so easily wasn't an enemy he could win against on his own powers just yet – and that despite them heading out against orders, they were still pack and deserved to be avenged...  
And now, here he was at the shiro – the Shadow's pack already here, niece and uncle both stained with the blood of his pack.

And that didn't made a lick of sense, because he'd seen quite a bit about the young ookami's pack, and with her powers, if she'd wanted to kill them, she could have done so without a second though back when he'd kidnapped Kagome.  
So instead of giving in to the rage that was trying to consume him, he asked, not really caring that his voice was nearly breaking at the scene of so many friends he'd known all his life dead "What's happening?"  
The young alpha's eyes softened at his tone, and even the idiot hanyou sounded less harsh than usual when he answered "Tch. We followed some insects used by an enemy of the pack here, and then the corpses started to fight."

"We think he's got a new underling that's a corpse puppeteer." Tsukiko elaborated "The others are looking for him right now."  
"Who's that enemy?" the wolf immediately asked, blood-lust clear in his voice now that he had a target  
Before either could answer, a wall of the shiro exploded outward, Miroku and Sango violently projected by a gust of wind, the priest protecting both with his water, and a clearly feminine silhouette stepped out of the hole.

"How dull," the newcomer commented idly – yet Tsukiko could feel that she wasn't that calm inside "the hot-headed wolf and dog weren't supposed to tell this was a set-up... Naraku's going to be disappointed, he hoped the two of you would kill each other."  
She was speaking of the situation in a detached way, even as the fan in her hands let out a gust of wind that all escaped – but that wasn't the end of it, they realized, as once more the corpses were moving.

"There's no fucking end to it!" the hanyou swore, now realizing that the corpse hadn't stopped moving thanks to anything on their part but because of their puppeteer's orders  
"Well, my orders are to see to your death and take your shards." the female enemy pointed out calmly, as if the situation didn't really concern her "So I, Kagura of the Wind, shall dance with you."

Now that most of the pack was back together, Tsukiko had once more taken a step back from the fight, InuYasha realized, not really surprised – this was after all not laziness from the alpha's part, like he liked to taunt her, but proof of her confidence in their abilities.  
Instead, the young ookami's senses were split between analyzing the new enemy and checking on Kagome and Shippou who had found and engaged Naraku's puppet.

Still, the hanyou realized – the youkai in front of them wasn't incompetent, and seemed much more ready to fight than Naraku himself. Soon enough, they realized that attacking her instead of the corpse broke her concentration, as apparently she couldn't do anything else when controlling the bodies of the dead wolves – but that didn't mean that the fight was over by any mean.  
Kouga's attacks had been much stronger than the last time they'd seen him, InuYasha realized just as the wolf broke mid-fight, surprised at the sudden heaviness in his arm...

"Huh. The poison is starting to take effect then." Naraku's new underling muttered  
"What are you talking about!" protested the young wolf  
"You really shouldn't use any power-enhancing shards that find its way to you, you know!" she taunted "That thing you put in your arm to avenge your little friend may look like a shikon shard..." she explained "but it was nothing more that a bit of crystallized youki enhanced by Naraku!"  
And of course, Naraku's youki being as poisonous as it was, the wolf was now rapidly loosing strength, they realized. Once more, the spider hanyou's plan had been cleverly woven...

Padfoot jumped out of the shadows, pulling the weakened youkai away from Kagura's powerful wind attack just as InuYasha was blocking it with his blade.  
"Kagome would be better at this," Tsukiko said as she kneeled by the by now nearly delirious with pain wolf "but she's not there right now so I'll have to do, even thought my powers really aren't geared to healing."  
While talking, she'd gathered her reiki, identified where the nefarious shard had been implanted – and struck with her claws humming with power.  
In the battlefield's ambient noise, Kouga's scream was nearly unheard, but the wave of miasma that escaped him, only to be immediately purified wasn't. The wolf then fell back into oblivion, far more natural colors now on his face.

Meanwhile, Kagome and Shippou had managed to venture far into the shiro – and come face to face with a familiar, baboon pelt wearing vilain.  
"Well," he admitted with a creepy laugh "I didn't expect you to step so far away from your hanyou protector, but I'll take advantage of it!" he affirmed, wooden puppet lashing at them "And I'll take theses shards as a present!"  
"As if we'd let you just do as you please" Shippou retorted, the fox fire around already far more heated than it had been a few months back when he'd met them

By his side, Kagome had let her reiki infuse her weapon, and looked just as resolute as him "These shards aren't for the like of you, Naraku."  
The hanyou's eyes widened, as for the first time he realized that the young miko was more than a simple ornament but a powerful being in her own right – and most importantly, that she had the same clear gaze and resolute glare the shikon miko had had fifty years ago when protecting her burden...

The following fight wasn't that challenging for the two pack-mates, as the puppet, shaken by his sudden realization of the similarities between Kagome and Kikyou, was making mistakes as he fought – and by the time the explosion provoked by Kagura came around, the noise distracted him enough that the Naraku look alike dodged Shippou's fire only to fall under a clean cut from the miko's naginata.  
As the puppet fell to the ground, both shared a glance, not knowing what had perturbed so their enemy, but deciding not to question their good luck, rushed back toward the courtyard, and the rest of their pack, just in time to witness the healing of Kouga from afar.

Catching their arrival from the corner of his eye, InuYasha shouted "Kagome! Fire an arrow at me!"  
The girl, not having seen the fight up until then, didn't know why the hanyou was making such a strange request – but the trust was such among the pack that she didn't question her beta, and grabbing the new bow she'd made sure to procure from her **Inventory** , an arrow charged with reiki was soon aimed at the hanyou.

Then a Kaze no Kizu was cut thanks to the attacking coming toward him – and InuYasha smiled as the powerful attack, reiki humming around it, tore through Kugura's wind, rendering her defenceless for the first time since the start of the fight.  
Still – the youkai had a good survival instinct, and so instead of lingering, reeling from the attack she hadn't thought would work, she took a feather out from her hair, and threw it in front of her, then jumped on it as said feather grew with a pulse of youki – and fled.

"So," wondered Shippou "why did you make Kagome-chan attack you?"  
"The bitch was a wind user." grumbled InuYasha "She could stop any of my attempts at cutting the Kaze no Kizu... But she's a youkai, her control of the wind rely on her youki..."  
"So you used my reiki to purify her control." the miko understood, impressed with their beta – that plan must have been made in the instant he saw them coming out of the shiro, that was some quick thinking

¤.¤.¤

With Kagura's departure, the shiro around them shimmered and disappeared, proving that it had been nothing but an illusion.  
As for Kouga, who had started to stir a few minutes after the youkai's escape, he was acting rather subdued and accepted Kagome's help as they decided to put some distance between them and the battlefield, and set up camp for the night.  
"Are you alright?" the miko asked him as the pack was settling down

"I used a power that I hadn't gained myself once more." the young wolf answered "And it came to bit me back. If it wasn't for your alpha," he admitted "I'd be dead, without even having avenged my pack." his eyes darkened "Us from the wolf-tribe have always been proud of our instincts, and yet..."  
"What cost you weren't your instincts," Tsukiko corrected him "it was your brashness that made you accept that shortcut."  
"I knew it was a bad idea." he confirmed – he had known when the other wolves had gone behind their alpha's back to hunt for the shard, had know before he'd even put the blasted fake in his arm "But I had to do something!"

"Any of us would have rushed to help our pack too," Shippou pointed out rather wisely for a child as young he was "we're just lucky to have grown stronger fast thanks to Tsuki-chan, and to know about our enemy."  
"You aren't weak." confirmed Tsukiko, voicing the concern the other wolf didn't dare say out loud "In the days between our two meeting you've already improved greatly. It was just bad luck that you and your pack encountered Naraku."  
"Tell me about him."  
"You know you're too weak to oppose him, right?" InuYasha reminded him not that harshly  
"I can improve." the other countered

The hanyou nodded in approval – maybe his pack had been right, he mused, and the brat really did annoy him so much because of how similar they were. Similar enough that just like he had, the stupid wolf needed people to hammer things in his head and stop him from rushing head-first into fights...  
And so, when Miroku started his tale about the damn spider, he didn't protest – not even when from Miroku, and Sango's experience with the bastard, they went over what they knew about his origins, and his own past with him.  
And finally, they were back to the latest development.

"So," he stated "the bastard now has a new friend."  
"She smells just like him." Shippou reminded them, more for the humans of the pack than the youkai  
"And she's got the same burnt mark on her back than him." the hanyou added, having seen that rather obvious mark as Kagura fled "I'd say she's her brat, but children don't just pop up full grown like that."

"That's because she was created, not born naturally." Tsukiko said simply, finally sharing what only her senses could feel "He made her, and she's still tied to him." her eyes grew distant "But she really felt like a wind spirit, and had their power, despite sharing so much with him. I think he detached part of his own powers to make her, and that it worked so well because he is made of so many youkai from the start..."  
"Somehow, knowing the bastard, I think their relation isn't all warm and fuzzy." InuYasha commented "That would explain why she didn't really look like she gave a damn about that fight."

"She didn't have a heartbeat." Tsukiko revealed, knowing that even youkai didn't always heard that particular sound as it tended to be very faint, particularly for strong youkai "I think he literally hold her life in his hands." a sigh "How cruel of Naraku to cage wind itself..."  
"Still too soft alpha," snorted InuYasha "she did kill all those wolves."

"Death is a part of life," she reminded him a light smile on her lips a but eyes dark and serious "killing to survive isn't something any youkai can really criticize... The real culprit is still Naraku in the end. Once more, he made others dirty their hands instead of him."  
"She may have not been manipulated like Kohaku," Sango realized slowly "but she didn't have much more choice than him, did she?"

 **[Goal complete! +25XP  
Goal update:** Learn more about Naraku other children]

The pack eyes widened minutely as the quest update confirmed what they hadn't put into words yet – that if he'd made Kagura, nothing said he didn't have any other spawn hidden away, ready to be use in his schemes...  
"I'm still not going to become her buddy just like that." Kouga affirmed, voice rather cold "I do understand the need to survive, but if she cross my path, I'll not just let her go." a shrug "But it does look like the real prey is Naraku."

"That he is." InuYasha confirmed "And if you want to take a bite at him you better improve fast, little wolf."  
"You won't be able to call me that once I've got the stripes of an alpha!"  
"Then hurry up and get them!"

As wolf and dog devolved once more in an insult match, the rest of the pack went back to talking about Kagura – except for Shippou, who was playing with Padfoot and Shingetsu "Still, it looks like Naraku has grown more powerful, if he's now able to do something like that. Kagura is a real, and powerful youkai." Miroku was the one to point out  
"Yes, but if all his children to come are under his boot by force, given the fact that they have their own mind they'll try to free themselves, or act out against him." an amused smile and the wolf alpha added "He may be creating his own enemies once more."

"Are you suggesting freeing the wind user?" Sango asked  
"It would be rather complicated." Tsukiko contradicted "Still, I'll kill her only if necessary."  
"InuYasha is right," the tajiya smiled "you are too kind."  
The wolf hime grumbled, but didn't protest too hard – after all, the girl had seen through her.

She would save the wind youkai if she could, if only because she felt that nobody deserved to be born with a constant threat upon their life. In a way, Kagura reminded her of the seven Sins of Father in her previous life, and most had been redeemable in one way or another.  
Even if she couldn't save her life, she would at least ensure that Kagura wasn't lost – that one of those countless souls that had created Naraku would be tied to his child to ensure her a chance in the reincarnation circle, something that neither she nor her unknown siblings had right now.  
Something that fated them, in Tsukiko's mind, to worse than death – oblivion.

Still, to keep her mind off Kagura, she turned her attention back to her uncle, whose bickering with the wolf was really much friendlier than before, even if only the pack could tell. And because she had come to understand her beta so well, she realized that he saw much of himself, and was reminded of the decades he spent wasting his potential because nobody had managed to break through his stubborn head and make him learn more about his youkai heritage.  
Kouga has learned more than him already, because he had his pack support.  
But with the old alpha's declining health, the attacks, and the rumors of Shikon shards going around, the situation had changed fast, and the wolf had no guidance left.

Tsukiko sighed.  
The wolf wasn't pack – but she understood where her uncle was coming from.  
So taking good look around, she concluded that the place was good enough, and breaking through the two bickering like an old married couple, announced "Three days."  
Kouga, somehow guessing that something important was going on, turned his attention toward her.  
"We'll hunt together for three days." she elaborated toward the wolf who looked much like an eager puppy to her for all that he was much older than her "Then you'll go back to your caves, and earn your stripes."

Kouga's eyes widened.  
"What a waste of time." InuYasha mumbled "Alone, you'll never teach him enough." he added, and Shippou was the one to laugh  
"Ah but we're pack, so if alpha says we're training with the baka-wolf, then we are." the kit affirmed easily  
"Training wouldn't be amiss for us either." Miroku confirmed sedately "After all if Naraku is growing more powerful we can't afford to be too complacent."

 **[New Secondary Quest! It's a montage...  
Goal :** help Kouga level up 10 times (0/10)  
 **Bonus goal:** have each of the pack members level up at least 1 time (0/1)  
 **Reward:** +25XP per level, MapSystem update upon completion  
 **Bonus reward :** +50XP per pack member, +1 beginner Tail skill book unlocked upon completion and every 10 level]

The next day, Kouga got himself acquainted with the light and temporary version of Chaos' Game Tsukiko could share with her hunting partners – proving to the pack that despite his brash attitude, the wolf wasn't that stupid as he understood the basic instructions about the interface Tsukiko gave him and was soon fighting by their side in the first of the **Hunting Ground** the alpha used to let him warm up to their training method.

From **Hunting Ground,** they went on to **Boss** fights, then **Arena** spars between pack members, to finish the day with a **Challenge.**  
Even the pack never had such heavy training, as their alpha had always left them healthy enough to be able to go of the road at a moment notice. But this time, the young goddess had established wards with Miroku to protect and hide their camp, then ran them to the ground mercilessly, in a way that would make her fiance proud.  
Like the priest had said – their enemy was growing more powerful, both thanks to the tainted power of the Shikon shards he'd gathered and by consuming other youkai, and since they wouldn't be using such shortcuts, the only way to keep up was with good old-fashioned training, helped by Chaos' Interface. A nostalgic smile graced Tsukiko's lips, as she remembered her first reincarnation, and the multiple training quests she and her friends from that life had gone through...

It was rather entertaining to be the one forcing the spartan training on others, even if they were willing, she had to admit – something she had realized during her second reincarnation, where she had taken a particularly sadistic pleasure in training her dear brothers.  
And the young hime was taking part in the training right alongside her pack, so they couldn't complain! Or well, they could but it only ended up in her making the training harder, as if they had enough energy left to complain, it must meant she wasn't hard enough on them.

By the end of the third day, Kouga was as close a friend as one could be without being pack, and the only reason he wasn't pack is was because he was determined to earn his stripes and take over for his old man.  
"I won't be part of your pack," the wolf had said on the last evening to the hime, a wistful smile on his face "even if in other circumstances I'd have been honored to be counted among yours."

"If you had more time." she understood easily enough – if his father wasn't still weakening and the pack he was born in falling apart because of it  
It wasn't unusual for a young alpha to be to spent time in another pack before taking over or starting his own after all.  
But because of the Shikon no Tama and Naraku, Kouga wouldn't do this, and would instead jump right in the deep end, taking on the duties of an alpha head on.  
"But when I earn my stripes," and neither of the two wolves had any doubts about the fact that he'd not only earn pack stripes but alpha mark too on his first try "then will you accept a sibling pack status?"

"Our pack will stand together." she immediately accepted – and Kouga smiled with pride  
A sibling pack was not only a proof of alliance, but equivalent to declaring themselves as close as blood family, and even thought he'd asked, the young wolf hadn't been sure she'd accept.  
After all, a daiyoukai declaring this kind of alliance with a beast youkai, as powerful as he was, was nearly unheard of.

But, as he'd come to learn in the past three days, Tsukiko wasn't someone who took this kind of social norm into account – she chose people for the worth she saw in them, not the power they were born with, as her motley pack was a clear proof of.  
"You may be a beast youkai," she said – as if reading his mind "but by the time we meet in my era, I know you won't be one anymore." she admitted easily  
"You know me?" he wondered, surprised – she hadn't mentioned it before  
"I've not met you, but I've heard of you." an amused smile "It was a bit strange us not meeting, as we pretty much live in the same social circle." and isn't that one loaded affirmation – him, in the same circle as the hime of the House of Moon "But chichi-ue used to say that morons that don't know how to keep their mouth shut should be kept away. I think he didn't trust you not to slip and told me about your past... My future."

"Yet you're rather free with sharing my future." he pointed out  
"I've told you what you can do, but that's no more than telling Kagome she was the Shikon Miko. She had already decided to gather the shards, you already knew you'd be alpha."  
That was true, Kouga realized – while what she was saying in a round about way about his future was merely confirming something he already knew about himself – the young wolf had always known he'd grew to be an alpha, she had just told him he could be much more powerful than he'd ever thought.

The work left to grow that powerful – was left to him.  
She may have helped him a bit along the way, she wouldn't be there during those centuries – he'd have to make his way on his own.

 **[Secondary Quest complete! 14*25XP**  
Kouga **(14/10)**  
 **Reward:** MapSystem has been updated  
 **Bonus goal complete! (56*50+56*25)XP**  
Tsukiko **(2/1)**  
InuYasha **(4/1)**  
Kagome **(10/1)**  
Shippou **(11/1)**  
Miroku **(11/1)**  
Sango **(20/1)**  
 **Bonus Reward:** +5 Tail beginner skill tomes]

 **[Level up!** You are now level 161!  
+8SP, +4CP, +1PP]  
 **[Level up!** Kagome is now level 129!  
+14SP, +4CP, +1PP]  
 **[Level up!** InuYasha is now level 143!  
+12SP, +2CP, +1PP]  
 **[Level up!** Shippou is now level 128!  
+25SP, +6CP, +2PP]  
 **[Level up!** Miroku is now level 127!  
+26SP, +8CP, +2PP]  
 **[Level up!** Sango is now level 114!  
+42SP, +12CP, +4PP]  
 **[Level up! Kouga** is now level 124!  
+27SP, +10CP, +2PP]

 **[System log:** Map System update

With this update, you unlocked a third Recall point in each era, and can now **Recall** to any of these points, provided you're in the right era, once a day. One special Recall Point is also unlocked for the pack on the position of the alpha, at any given time]

¤.¤.¤

"Did that just happened?" Shippou checked, not really believing his eyes at the massive amount of notification that had flooded their Interface as Kouga was saying his farewells to the pack  
Their training session, intensive as it had been, had indeed made Kouga level fourteen times in three days, and the rest of the pack had been right along him, making Sango gain her second Tail while both Miroku and Shippou earned their third. The XP boost had of course been less impressive for the higher level hanyou and his niece, but still appreciated.

But the real shock had been the bonus reward, who made them gain simply by completing the quest more than twice as much XP as they had gained during the three days and making even Sango, who'd been the lowest level among them simply because she'd started taken advantage of Chaos Game the latest, get her third Tail...

And those new Tails had been far from useless as apparently leveling their Pack – because yes, that too had happened during the three days of hell, as they'd taken to call them – had unlocked new options for those perks.  
As such Shippou had opted for the **Holy** **Touch** Tail perk, which made him less susceptible to enemies' reiki, and earned him the same holy affinities as the holy servant. And Miroku and Sango, one the opposite side, had chosen the **Youkai** **Touch,** which made their senses upgrade from human to hanyou's sharpness and granted them a bonus in Endurance that greatly raised their **Health** **Points.  
**

"Well," Miroku commented with an amused smile "seems like training that wolf wasn't such a waste of time, eh InuYasha-san?"  
The hanyou didn't reply to the cheerful taunt, silently mourning a time when the priest had been more restrained around them – or not, who was he kidding? Miroku's dropping formalities around the pack was one more proof of their bonds!  
So completely ignoring the comment, he huffed and decreed "Well, let's hit the road, we've still got shards to find!"  
A cheerful bark was Padfoot's answer – and the pack was soon once more on the road.

A few hours later, Sango decided to take advantage of the fact they were traveling along a river to refill her water provisions – when she was suddenly assaulted by a few men on horses.  
Of course, she'd heard them arrive, between her tajiya training and newly improved senses it would have been hard not too; but she was curious.  
After all, said sharp senses could not only hear that the men were in pursuit of a woman, but also that said woman was hiding nearby.  
And Sango, being a rather independent woman despite the era, despised chauvinistic pigs like the ones that were stupid enough to mistake her for an easy prey and attack.

Within a few seconds, the men were sent packing, and the rest of her pack were meeting up with her and the girl she'd just saved leisurely – there had been no danger after all.  
Then the girl's eyes fell on their houshi pack-member, lit up, and Miroku unexpectedly found himself with an armful of an unknown girl "Miroku-sama! You came back for me like you promised!"  
"Well," an amused Kagome commented, "that was unexpected."

A few moments latter, he pack plus one was settled on a nearby hill, and the girl,who finally introduced herself as Koharu, went on to explain how exactly she knew the holy – and sometime con – man.  
"Wow," Kagome was the first to comment after the rather speedy explanation "I knew you proposed to all woman, Miroku-san... but even eleven year old girls? That's low, even for you!"  
"I already knew she'd be beautiful!"

"And apparently, her beauty has caught the eyes of a small lord, and she doesn't have a family to help her, uh..." Tsukiko was the one to point out with a sigh  
"I'm sure we can find her responsible caretakers!" the priest affirmed confidently "After all I've traveled quite a bit in theses parts, I'm well-know!"  
"And not always in a good way!" Shippou taunted with a smirk – after all, even if Koharu, too innocent, hadn't realized it, she had met the man during one of his numerous false exorcism

Still, just like their priest pack-mate had said, they wouldn't just abandon the young woman to her fate, that was something that went against all their principles – but at the same time its not as if they could just let her travel with them, she wasn't ready for such a dangerous life.  
Fortunately, Miroku knew people in a nearby village that would welcome Koharu in their home against a bit of work, and wouldn't let themselves get intimidated that easily by the lord that had been after her if the beating Sango had given him hadn't been enough of a deterrent...

"Are you alright?"  
Tsukiko didn't' turn toward her beta, senses stretching around her.  
Nothing off was coming back to her senses – and yet she knew something was wrong...  
Still there was nothing to be done about it as long as she didn't know what was setting her senses off – and so she didn't say anything about it and just let her pack finish their farewell with the old couple that had taken Koharu in and get back on the road.  
Or try.

It was as the villagers started to attack them with empty eyes that she realized what the problem was.  
"They are being controlled," she immediately informed the rest of her pack "their soul have been taken."  
She hadn't realized it before seeing the villagers, because the souls weren't completely gone, they were still nearby.  
"Where do you think you're going!"  
Tsukiko jumped nimbly out of the gale of wind sent her way before knocking out a villagers that had used the unexpected attack to creep up to her.

"Of course Naraku had to be behind this!" InuYasha swore loudly as Kagura appeared, lightly jumping from her feather and saimyoushou buzzing around her, fan in hand indicating she'd been the one to attack just now "Let those villagers go, fucking coward!"  
"You think I'm the one controlling them?" the youkai laughed in answer  
Miroku was the one to further contradict their beta "You said yourself she couldn't control the corpses and use her wind at the same time."

"And controlling corpses is completely different from stealing souls." completed Kagome, glancing at their alpha – the wolf hime looked remarkably composed for now, something that rather surprised her when souls were concerned  
"There must be someone else nearby who is doing this." the ookami confirmed with a sharp nod, golden eyes gleaming eerily – and Kagome realized that it wasn't that she was calm, but simply that her recent upping on meditation to control her fire spirit temper was helping her to keep a lid on her temper, if barely  
No, Tsukiko was furious.

Now knowing that the villagers weren't acting on their own will, the pack was severely hampered, not able to attack freely and be done with it like usual – Sango, Miroku and Kagome, as the one who could attack without killing the easier, started to knock out the villagers while InuYasha and Shippou tried to progress toward Kagura.  
But clearly, the villagers had been given instructions, as was son evident – as they always put themselves in the way when someone tried to attack the wind user, and seemed to try to separate Kagome from the rest of them Realizing this, Tsukiko called the miko to her side, and as predicted, the two of them were soon herded in a separate way

"Seems like Naraku's after you this time." the ookami commented distractedly, senses still trying to pick up the second enemy location  
They were approaching the place where could feel the villagers souls, yet still no scent, or presence, or anything!  
It was only once they were face to face with the little girl with no scent and a blank face that she realized – it was the emptiness that had been sending her senses haywire since earlier...

The girl was in front of them, and yet even like this, she could feel only emptiness from her.  
Then, the girl aimed the mirror she held in her hands toward them, catching Kagome's reflection in it – and Tsukiko's Soul sense screamed as her best friend dropped to the ground, soul being absorbed by the item.  
The miko in training soul's was – too big – way too big for a human, way too big for the mirror even, as the reflective surface seemed saturated with light even though Kagome was on the ground.

¤.¤.¤

Knocking out Koharu, that had been creeping on them, controlled too by Naraku's newest detachment, the ookami turned her attention toward the most dangerous thing around – that blasted mirror.  
How the ridiculously evil hanyou had obtained something like that, she didn't know, but one thing was clear – there was no way she was letting the annoying man holding on something capable of toying with people's soul.

Deeming Kagome a threat no longer, the girl turned toward Tsukiko, probably intent on taking her soul too. Which was both ridiculous, as the mirror was already straining to keep the miko's soul in – and all it would do to her, she guessed, would be unbinding the restraints places on her by Chaos' Game.  
Something that wouldn't be a good idea for her current mortal body of course, but would also drastically reduce all of her enemies life-spawn, as without the restraints of wanting to live a normal life, they'd be nothing to keep her from helping along her friend a bit before dying – and she may be young as far as gods went, with the powers from all her previous and currents life put together, sending Naraku packing and gathering all the Shikon shards would really be nothing but a matter of minutes.

Still, Tsukiko had no intention of dying just yet, and Kagome was already doing a rather good job of gathering the shards by herself, so the goddess decided to avoid the worse case scenario by partially unbinding herself the usual restraints placed on her soul – simply put, she used a power she hadn't needed up until now in this life.

 **[Past Life Aura activated!**  
 **Countdown to deactivation :** 00:05:00]

White hair turned black, golden eyes bled to green – and Shadow's soul sung as she could once more feel both magic and Flames in her grasp, an innate knowledge of the elemental flows around her humming once more to her senses.  
This was the first time, she realized, that activating the Ability unlocked in her first reincarnation felt so right – she hadn't realized in her previous life just how constrained she felt by he constant limitation put on her power and knowledge – but now, with the arsenal of Harriet Potter, Sawada Kazami and Ariana Elric at the tip of her fingers, Taishou Tsukiko felt whole...

All-knowing eyes turned toward the girl in front of her – and now awakened, Shadow could feel the truth.  
Her eyes softened as she realized how cruel Naraku had been. After all, he may control Kagura by keeping her heart, this little girl he had broken so utterly he didn't need to keep her heart to control.  
As the young goddess went to work, magic swirling around her in lazy but powerful waves, she could distantly feel Kagura shake with fear at the display of power that had unleashed all the captive souls, and flee with but a regretful glance at the empty child that was technically her sister.

Too bad for the wind youkai, she would have freed her if she had only stayed put.  
But Tsukiko had no time to waste on these consideration, as she worked to undo Naraku's damages.

Kanna was a powerful youkai, but her mind was still very young, and her powers had been striped away from her and stuffed into the blasted mirror she was still holding protectively, probably to allow Naraku to use them for himself.  
Of course, the hanyou had miscalculated, as stuck in a mirror or not, those were still her powers to held, and as such the reflective surface obeyed only her.  
But the hanyou hadn't let that deter him, deciding instead to use the girl herself as a weapon to be wielded.  
With Kagura, he'd kept himself to physical torture – to Kanna, the eldest, he'd inflicted the worst mental torture he could think of, destroying the young psyche.

Several life-times ago, a young Sawada Kazami's budding powers had felt the unbalance in seven men stuck between life and death, and had healed them. While they could never be humans again, they had become true Holy Servant, direct envoys of a deity walking the Mortal Realms – the difference between them and lowlier holy servants like houshi and miko as vast as the difference between daiyoukai and beast youkai.

Back then, the effort had reduce her life-spawn, and left her in a magical exhaustion for a good week.  
She had grown, since then, and thanks to Magic's blessing, was now far more able to wield her godly powers without early killing herself in exchange.

 **[Holy System** updated! **  
Kanna** (void spirit LV 118)has been added to Holy Servants]  
 **[Magic Art** affinity reached 15/25]  
 **[Goal complete!** +25XP  
 **Goal update:** learn more about the next of Naraku's children  
 **Hidden bonus goal complete!**  
You've healed Kanna and freed her from Naraku  
 **Hidden bonus goal reward:** +100XP, Kanna unlocks **Chaos** ' **Game** light version]  
 **[new Tail perks unlocked:**  
 **\- Dying Will:** your determination unlocks the fiery powers held within your soul (inherited from past life)  
 **\- Magical Core** (available only if Sky or Mist Flame /= 25) **:** you unlock the attribute of a Witch/Wizard (inherited from past life)  
 **\- All is One** (available only if three Mystical skills /=25) **:** you understand the flow of natural energies around you so well that you can even learn to use them (inherited from past life)

Available: 0]

By the time the villagers came to – Shadow's pack was long gone, an unconscious white-haired little girl with them.  
Shadow eyed her pack.

She had wondered, truly, about how they'd react after feeling the full weight of her powers. After all, normal people didn't react well when confronted to the overwhelming quality godly powers had. But of course her pack was far from normal, and all that had happened was that an awed Shippou was now focusing his shape-shifting powers into trying to make his already green eyes to glow, while Shingetsu, who while still young could understand that the newcomer in the pack was similar to her, was sniffing curiously around the little white youkai.

As for Miroku, the houshi waited patiently until Kagome had helped her settling the unconscious child before finally asking about what happened, yet having already guessed at most of it.  
And InuYasha? The hanyou was thanking every known and unknown deity, his niece included, that his brother hadn't been present for this display of power – he could just imagine how smug the bastard would be about having spawned such a powerful pup otherwise...

"Tch. Well the good thing is we've stolen one of the bastard's children," the beta was soon saying "but can we really keep the little girl around? From what you're saying mentally she's barely pass her first grow spurt, if that..."  
"I can't just drop her off anywhere like a dead-weight, she's my responsibility now." the hime countered  
"Still, she's not defenseless." Sango pointed about – the young youkai's level was higher than her, Miroku and Shippou  
"She's not, but she's got the mind of a three year old child, even if she should improve quickly. I don't want her to be forced to fight."

"I can protect her."  
Tsukiko's eyes widened at the rather assured statement coming from Shippou.  
"We're a large pack, and I'm young, so I'm not essential in the fights." the young kit pointed out reasonably "I know you've never left me out because I suffered just as much as any of you because of the Shikon no Tama." a shrug "But I also know none of you like to rely on me as one of the main fighters because I'm a kit, even if I'm not that much younger that Tsuki-chan..." a smile "I don't want to stop traveling with our pack, but I don't need to be a front fighter for that. And if you know I'm protecting her, you won't worry about her, will you?"

And so it was decided.  
From now on when under attack, the pack would rely on Shippou and Padfoot as protectors, leaving the others free to focus on fighting off their enemies.  
The pack was incredibly proud of their youngest – relatively speaking – member. And being confronted with his mental maturity made them realized that the kit was growing. Not only mentally...  
Shippou had started his second growing spur.

* * *

¤.¤.¤

* * *

Ryoichi twitched.

Once more, he wondered what kind of stupidity had infected his brain when he'd declared he'd go and roam the countryside while collecting orphans youkai life some kind of pied-piper...  
He was a hitman, not a baby-sitter!

Still, things had gone rather well to be honest, and his first few journey had been rather short, so keeping an eye on the children wasn't really a problem. Not to mention that with six younger siblings, he had become rather good at dealing with children in this life.  
But this time, the trip was long, as he was heading north, and he missed his _bambina._ Life without life-threatening spar sessions and cuddles was dull after all, and even if he'd already had to live decades without her several times, it didn't make it any less boring.

And to be honest, it wasn't the few child he'd picked up, or missing his fiance that was making him so grumpy. No the annoyance that was stalking him was a fully grown youkai...  
"So... What are you going to do with the kits? Sell them? Eat them? Use them as pint-sized robbers?"  
His hand ached for Leon's gun form, but the former hit man controlled himself and instead sent several knifes flying toward the silver-haired annoyance.  
"I mean seriously, saying to the kits you're going to get them adopted, isn't it kind of cruel?"

The dark-red haired youkai turned toward his stalker "You sure seem to care a lot for the orphans for someone with such a cold-hearted reputation as you have, Youko Kurama!"  
"Oh, so you do know who I am..." the youkai mused, a bit surprised even if he hid it well "I wondered. After all, you didn't seem afraid."  
The kitsune restrained a growl.

"Know your place, thief. Nine-tailed you may be, you're still a youko. While I respect the power necessary to grow from fox youkai to full fledged daiyoukai, your tails are for now only proof of gaining the status of daiyoukai." his green eyes glinted coldly "They in no way reflect the power of a true nine-tailed daiyoukai. My four-tails are those of a born kitsune, and more than enough to match your powers right now."  
"Quite arrogant, for such a young kit, eh?" the silver demon mused  
"It's not arrogance, it's knowledge, as you well know. Otherwise you'd already have attacked days ago when you started to stalk me." Ryoichi corrected

The youko laughed, and nodded "True."  
"Still... That doesn't explain why you're still following me, if you've already understood that it would be useless to attack me."  
"Curiosity." the other admitted easily "You're barely more than a kit, gathering orphans to give them a better life... Which sounds like a fucking fairy tale, yet from what I can see you're not lying, or if you are you are unaware of it..."  
The kitsune wondered for a second – then decided that as annoying as the other fox was, he was the only interesting conversation he'd had in weeks, the mail with his fiance nonwithstanding, and that even if as he'd just said the nine-tail youko wasn't as powerful, say, as his own father, he was still respectably powerful, and might present an interesting challenge in a spar...

"You are right that in these parts this sounds too good to be true," he admitted "but I'm not from around. I doubt you've ever heard of a House of Leaf?" a shrug "And the place I'm from has a small population of youkai, and with our low birth-rate..."  
"You're becoming extinct."  
A nod "We are pretty isolated, but knew about this place, with plenty of youkai, and just as much bloodshed. So why not take advantage of it? So I've been making short trips here to gather orphans..."

Kurama nodded – he was rather good at sensing lies, and could see that the other wasn't saying anything that wasn't true, even if he maybe arranging it a bit – probably to protect his homeland, which was understandable.  
Well – mystery solved, the youko thought forlornly. He'd hoped to be kept entertained a bit more! With a sigh, he prepared himself to be on his way, no point in annoying the kit anymore...  
"I'm not heading home just now, you know."

The affirmation surprised him – then, eyeing the eyes sparkling in mirth, he realized that the brat had voiced thing in order to deliberately confuse him...  
"I'm pushing toward the north before winter." Kurama's ears perked in interest "And having someone to travel with wouldn't be that much of a bother."  
"Why would I want to travel with a brat and his unruly litter?"  
"After all, I am missing my favorite sparring partner right now..." said brat continued as if he hadn't been interrupted "and I'm sure there must be a few mansions and other rich domains on the way..."

"You don't mind traveling with a thief?"  
A shrug.  
"I'm a youkai hunter and an assassin." he easily admitted  
And just like that, the decision was made.

Kurama, Ryoichi soon discovered, was a cool, rather intelligent youkai, who seemed to mostly lack foxes' most mischievous side until you learned to know him better – probably because as a youko, he'd had to fight to survive at every step of his life. Normal fox youkai managing to gain nine-tails were after all rather rare...

Still, even with his calm and composed temper, he was a good traveling partner, and all help was welcomed as he had picked up quite the collection of young youkai, some barely pass their first growing spur, a few nearing the second, not to mention the beast youkai and even one prickly cat hanyou he suspected was abandoned by both human and youkai parents – cat weren't very pack orientated after all, with the lions as an exception, and he was pretty sure that those would come to Japan only later, fleeing from China when all youkai started to hid themselves away from humans.

¤.¤.¤

The kitsune was ready to give the signal for the child to get ready to hit the road again, after a mid-day pause used to both eat and educate a bit the youngster, helping them to learn a general defense style, some basic survival knowledge, and the always necessary meditation grounding – when voices carried by the wind were picked up by his sensitive ears.  
He normally wouldn't have taken any particular attention to it – if it wasn't for the fact that he was pretty sure the wind itself had changed direction carry said voices to him.

Something that could have been deemed impossible by any other than him – but just like his fiance was now Death's beloved little sister, he had gained an exuberant older sister with Life, one who had the elements under her orders; as such ever since Tsukiko had reminded Suijin the lesser water goddess of her ability to interfere with the Mortal Realms, he'd been contacted a few times by several lesser elemental deities, and from what he'd understood, several village blessed by those deities had now sprouted as safe haven for both humans and youkai...

So with a sight, he dusted himself, asked Kurama in a low voice to keep the child here for a bit longer, and went toward the sound of the two voices – who were clearly engaged in a heated argument.

 **[Secondary Quest! A matter of Life...  
Goal: **follow the two voices  
 **Reward:** +25XP per goal, +1 beginner skill tome upon completion, +2 hunting trophies upon completion]

"I'm coming with you."  
Glancing at the lithe boy with golden blond hair, light green eyes reflecting the light and a nearly unnatural grace, her sighed, but didn't protest - Shinobu was stubborn enough that it would be all but useless, and the short, rounded cat ears barely peaking among his ears were aimed at the same direction as him, making him guess that the wind may have been speaking to him too.

Within moment, kitsune and yama-neko hanyou were stumbling on a narrow shore bank, with a fishermen village nearby, and a large rock oozing youki nearby.  
And more importantly, two youkai – bat youkai, from the look of things – loudly arguing.  
"You've become weak ever since you've become infatuated with this damn human wench!" the larger one was tempesting, making Shinobu tense at the affirmation  
"I've not! Merely not wanting to attack the humans doesn't make me weak!" the other protested "It's not like we need their blood to live, any animal or beast youkai would do!"

"You'd rather kill your siblings than measly humans!"  
"Oh please," the younger, and nearly human looking youkai snorted in disgust "You've never had anything against preying on other youkai before, it's just the fact that I won't let you attack the human village that bothers you."  
"Of course it bothers me, stupid son! This is your last warning, stop mingling with those lesser beings, otherwise, son and guardian of the barrier or not, I'll be forced to take drastic measures."

"I won't abandon my wife and daughter, father."  
Because he was turning his back to him – the young bat didn't see the older eyes' grow colder, but from their vantage position at the top of the cliff, both Ryoichi and Shinobu saw it clearly. They reacted nearly before the attack was made, the young hanyou pushing the bat youkai out of his father's deadly attack, the older kitsune deflecting it with a blast of power from the short blade he owned, not needing Chaos' Game prompt to act...

 **[Goal complete!** +25XP  
 **Goal update:** defeat Taigokumaru]

From behind him, Ryoichi heard the youngest bat shell-shocked voice "Father! You would go that far!"  
"You ceased to be my son from the moment you debased yourself with a human! You always were too soft!"  
"Cease your yapping, annoying old bat." Ryoichi cut him "After all, you're too stupid to understand just how much more powerful than yourself your son is, and cowardly enough to try and off him from behind!"  
"This is not you problem!"

"Ah, what can I say..." a bloodthirsty smile "I've got a soft spot for kids and I hate idiots!" with that, he rushed toward the large youkai, blade in hand  
"You would attack me with a knife?" the large youkai laughed  
In Ryoichi's hand, the Star Blade blazed with the condensed power of his Fox Fire flames, his small form neatly evaded the large sonic blast the other attacked him with – and the large trench knife cut through the youkai like butter.

"And this is the difference in power between a daiyoukai and a beast youkai, stupid bat." he muttered while gracefully reaching the ground again, the large youkai already dead behind him

 **[Goal complete!** +25XP  
 **Goal update:** lead Tsukuyomaru's family to safety]

"Ryoichi-san!"  
Surprised at the unusual amount of emotion coming from the young hanyou, the kitsune focused back on both the child, and the younger bat youkai – eyes widening, he realized that the young yama-neko hadn't been quite as swift as he'd thought, and the youkai he'd tried to save was weakening by the moment, life stolen by his own father.  
Stashing his bloody blade away, he took out the second one instead, none of the worry he felt creeping on himself showing outside – this was a man nearer from death than life, the kind of wound only the full power of his Sun Flames could heal, powers he hadn't regained yet, even thought he'd been working at it for two life-time already.

Eyes hardening with resolve, not knowing the yellow flames were now curling around him, he focused on the man, a stunned Shinobu stepping out of his way with worried eyes. A slash of his blade, and he could feel, and see the wounds recessing already – but wasn't enough, far from it. He frowned, not intending on being beaten by the stupid bat even in death...

[ **Pacifier** skill reached rank 10!]  
 **[Past Life Aura unlocked!**

You can now unleash the powers of your previous life, for a duration of 60 seconds, with a refreshing rate of once every month.  
Please note that both duration and refreshing rate will change as you master your skills]

 **[Hidden bonus goal complete!**  
Against all odds, you managed to save Tsukuyomaru's life  
 **Bonus goal reward:** +100XP, **A Goddess' Approval** Perk (Holy System unlocked)]

Dropping to the ground near the now healthy looking youkai in exhaustion, Ryoichi mused that Tsukiko would be laughing at him right now if she was there – after all the times he'd scolded her for using her powers for others without thinking about her own health, he'd gone and done just the same...  
As for Shinobu, there was no mistaking the awe in his eyes – the young hanyou had been with him for nearly two weeks, and had been rather intelligent before, so even with senses less developed than a full youkai, of course he'd realized what he'd just witnessed.

"I owe you my life." the bat youkai stated  
"You have a family to take care of." he simply reminded him, answering the question the other wanted to ask  
Shinobu's eyes went from awe to respect.  
Pushing the fatigue away for now, Ryoichi managed to get back on his feet, and the youkai he'd just saved did the same, the three of them soon heading for the outer reach of the human village.

"Eh, rejected by her own kind too." the kitsune realized easily with a small sneer of disdain on his face  
For someone coming from an era where all lived together mostly peacefully, witnessing the narrow-mindedness of people, be they humans or youkai, really didn't get any easier. He had no doubts that hadn't they be here, Tsukuyomaru's death would have lead to the bats renewing their attacks on the humans – and that it turn would have led the humans to turn against the hanyou left with only her mother's as protection...  
These kind of stories were far too usual, and seldomly ended well.

Still – pushing the bitterness back with his weariness, he turned his attention toward the small family, not missing the passing look of longing on the yama-neko hanyou by his side.  
"You do realize that this kind of situation will continue again and again, right?"  
At the deer-in-the-highlight look on the youkai's face, he guessed the other didn't understand what he truly was saying and elaborated "Clearly your tribe isn't ready to accept her, or your child." he said, pointing at the wife "And the villagers aren't ready to accept you." he added, pointing toward him and his daughter this time  
"What can we do?" the wife was the one to ask "It's the same everywhere after all."

"Mostly everywhere." he corrected "There are a few safe haven." he explained – and once more the wind was whispering "And one of those is but three days away."  
After that, convincing the little family was but a matter of fact, and they had soon gathered the few belonging they had, the youkai dropping by the caves inhabited by his clan to gather the few he trusted – an adult couple, their child, and two orphans that had managed to survive despite his father's best efforts.

 **[Goal complete!** +25XP  
 **goal update:** reach the Haven  
 **Hidden bonus goal complete!**  
Your words have reached Tsukuyomaru, who found other residents for the Haven  
 **Bonus goal reward:** +100XP, +1 Enhancement Stone to be chosen]

They had then regrouped with Ryoichi's strange traveling party.  
Kurama had looked ready to drown him in questions, but Shinobu had turned into a fierce protector and managed to quench the other fox' curiosity enough that he didn't decide to turn into a stalker once more.  
And finally, they reached the village his sense had been guiding him toward, a young miko waiting for them at entrance of the outer wall.

"Mistress has been waiting for you, Kaikou-dono."  
Ryoichi had been a bit surprised at the title – but well, Tsukiko was often referred to as Seishi-hime, so it wasn't that surprised that he'd been given his own moniker...  
As soon as the protecting wall was entered, he could feel whips of protective powers from a lesser deity – the one who'd guided him, as he soon realized.

"I'm sorry to have taken advantage of you like that, Kaikou-dono." the light grey-haired woman was soon saying as their group was led into her sanctum, children sent to the bath then entertained, while the adults were sitting to dine with her "My sister has been talking about you fiance and her pack, and well..." she blushed lightly "She reminded us all that we had powers, powers that we could make use of, contrarily to the Higher Ones..."

"I've heard about the Havens." he nodded "This is a step in the right direction, and just like you said, as holy being able to use your gift in the Mortal Realms, you do have a larger margin of maneuver than us..."  
"Yes." she eyed him a bit worriedly "Simply healing that man took a lot out of you I can see that." her eyes glinted guiltily for a moment "I hadn't realized... I mean, I heard your fiance could use her powers..."  
"Magic blessed her," he explained "which mean she has as much powers as a miko." a shrug "I came into my powers later, it is normal that I still have to prove myself."

"Well you've more than proven yourself to me." she assured with a smile "I had wondered at first... I mean you're an assassin after all..." her eyes softened "But like many other things, I had forgotten that assassin does not mean heartless. A killer you may be, you also are a healer. That is a difficult balance to maintain, but one you've admirably managed." a sigh "I'm just sorry that my blessing would be all but useless to you."  
"Don't worry about it, I did not act for a reward."  
"I know." a smile "But you'd still deserve one."

 **[Quest complete!**  
 **Reward:** +25XP, +1 beginner kill tome, +2 hunting trophies]

 **[Level up!** Ryoichi is now level 166!  
 _+1SP]_

Ryoichi didn't know – but had he seen Sujin, the goddess of water Tsukiko had met, he'd realized that this wind goddess and her looked quite alike, as they were indeed sisters – still, he and is group enjoyed the goddess' hospitality, a few of the orphans he'd collected during his travel finding a home in the village; not knowing that while he took care of the people he'd collected in his travels, she was talking to the other gods about him. The lesser deities had learned about the Shadow, they now had seen and judged the Light too.  
Shinobu, when offered a place to stay in the Haven, stubbornly refused.

"I'll keep an eye on you." the hanyou had affirmed "Because apparently you've got this idiotic reflex to save others rather than take care of yourself. It is rather stupid for a supposedly renowned assassin..."  
As for Kurama – he hadn't managed to confirm anything, but the encounter had still given him strong suspicions regarding the kitsune's origins. The only reason the silver-haired fox wasn't already sure of his holy origins being that, as a youko rather than a kitsune, his senses weren't just yet strong enough to pick up the absence of death scent, and the strong feeling of Life outside of an emergency situation.

Still, when they left the haven a few days later, traveling group drastically reduced compared to earlier, and all well-rested, the kitsune couldn't help but smile – the orphans he'd been collecting would still end up in Havens or in the future, but somehow, he had the feeling the hanyou by his side wouldn't be leaving that soon.

And somehow, he wasn't even even put out by it. His fiance had humans and hanyou in her pack, who was say he couldn't have a young wild cat in his...  
As for Kurama – while the youko was becoming a good friend, he was too much of a free spirit to be held down by notions as pack, and he had no doubt that one day in the near future, their road would separate, something he could well understand. After all, as Renato Sinclair he never was caught by any Sky, his Flames too powerful to be tamed by anyone - but he did wish that his friend managed at least to find true friends once he left.


	13. Game On 30 XII Blade Reforged

Hi! I'm back again  
I was told that my story was a bit too close to the original - and thinking about it, it wasn't completely wrong... But starting from now I'm changing things, notably in the time-line, as I think Tsukiko's presence had to start to make wave eventually (it is the point of an OC after all ^_^)  
Hope you enjoy

 **side note.** was told that the difference in power level between youko and kitsune was a bit confusing - I am talking about it again a bit more in a future chapter (writen but not ready to be published) and its about the same for all beast youkai and their daiyoukai counterparts.  
so for those who are interested in an explanation right now:

 _a beast youkai gains tails about twice as fast as a daiyoukai, but only gains power, not special abilities._  
 _once the youkai has nine tails and can go from beast form to human one, he's a daiyoukai. but even if he has nine tails physically, in power-level he is around four-tail for a daiyoukai._  
 _then he can continue to grow stronger as a daiyoukai, gaining special powers and all, but physically he wont gain new tails, nine is the maximum._

* * *

 **Chapter XII. September 1996 Blades Reforged**

The pack spent the next few days traveling slowly, as Kanna still hadn't woke up, and was carried by Padfoot during the day. Finally, on the third day, the little girl started to stir – then with a gasp, woke up, looking around her in fear and confusion.  
"Hey. You're Kanna, right?"

Shippou had immediately taken charge under Tsukiko fond eyes – the kit making the "adult-sized" pack-member step back while he approached the little youkai. It seemed to work, as she relaxed slightly, before nodding a confirmation.  
"I'm Shippou." he introduced himself, before asking "Do you remember what happened to you?"

She paused, but the calm and gentle demeanor of the kit that was even smaller than her physically was enough to help her keep her calm rather than panic at the memories, and she started to recount "Naraku sent me to steal some souls and defeat a sword." an hesitation "But I was locked in my head because of Naraku." another pause "And then my mirror lost, and the youkai got really angry, but not with me?" a note of wonder "And then I remembered all that Naraku did..." a shiver of fear this time  
Those shivers would probably evolved into a full blown panic attack – but Shingetsu, and a Padfoot in his small size had crept up to her side as she talked and were now making comforting noises.  
The fear recessed and was replaced with wonder, and she hesitantly pushed her fingers into the soft fur of the beasts.

"But I was fixed!" the little girl realize as the panic disappearing cleared her mind "And I changed..." she added, a bit of awe in her tone as she finally could see clearly the people around her  
One of them with an aura intimately familiar to her by now, as she'd been literally rebuilt by her "You saved me?"

The why wasn't voiced – but was so clear it made the pack ache. A child sounding so young shouldn't be so surprised to be saved. Still, Shippou was the first to find his voice, and letting his natural cheerfulness back into his voice, announced "That's because it's Tsuki-chan, our alpha! That's what she does!" a small paw pointed at the miko "And that's Kagome-chan. She's the same. I think that's because they're childhood friend." he explained in a conspiratorial tone  
By now, Kanna was starting to smile too, taken in by antics of the kitsune.

"The houshi is Miroku. He's really intelligent, but he's got a problem with women... And Sango-chan is really cool, but scary when she's angry!"  
A beat.  
InuYasha twitched.  
"Ah! And the grumpy annoyance is InuYasha!" Shippou added, mirth in his eyes "He doesn't look like much but he's our beta!"  
"What's alpha? And beta?"

The kit nearly fell to the ground with surprise "It's... Tsuki-chan is our alpha! She takes care of us, and protect us, and help us grow up... She's like a really strong mum!" the kit finished with a nod, rather proud of his description "And Inu-baka is like the older brother! If Tsuki-chan isn't there he takes care of us, but he's still got things to learn too! And we're all pack-mate, so we're like a family, but even better! Even Padfoot," a bark "Shingetsu," second bark "or Kirara." a mewl "Even though she's a cat and cat's aren't supposed to get on well with us canine..." the mewl grew in protest "But she's an intelligent cat , so she doesn't hate people just because they're different!" a purr  
As the kit explained, Kanna's eyes had gained life, but then, they grew concerned once more "And me?"

"Well Tsuki-chan saved you, so you're pack too!" he affirmed, turning her attention to the silver paw-print that had appeared on her hand while she was asleep, before adding with a triumphal smile "So I'm not the youngest now! And because I'm a big brother, I can help you learn all kind of things, and if people are mean with you I'll protect you until you're strong enough not to need me... But then I'll still help you, because that's what pack does!"  
The fear that had crept back in the young youkai's eyes was firmly replaced by joy – as somehow, she knew the kit wasn't lying, not realizing that this was her first grasp on the **Soul Sense** she had gained when becoming one of Tsukiko's Holy Servants.

The rest of the evening was spent helping the girl acclimate herself with the pack – and it took a few hours for her to realize she had gained a strange new power, that the pack had then spent some time explaining the basis to her – Shippou, taking his self-imposed role as a brother and protector to heart, doing the most of those explanations.

It was hours later, as the pack was finally asleep, that InuYasha sat near his niece.  
"So? What was it that made you react, earlier?" he asked gruffly "Didn't like being called a mum?"  
"Do I really act like that?" the hime wondered  
A snort "Do you really need to ask?" the hanyou confirmed in his own unique way  
"It made me realize, when he called me that..." a sigh "Time isn't linear for gods you know."

"I'm pretty sure you've inherited your inability to talk simply from the bastard." InuYasha protested, before adding, serious this time "So there's another you alive in your time?"  
"Two other technically." she smiled, amused "My first incarnation, Harriet Potter, who is currently going through the trials that will made her into me..."  
"Feh."  
"Harriet died young, alone, and without much to regret. After all, most of her loved ones were already dead."

"It's the other you're thinking about then."  
"When I died as Sawada Kazami my elder child was not yet thirteen, and his little sister a year young." her voice was light "I know Renato stayed with them a few years before following me, but..."  
"You still want to see them." the hanyou affirmed easily – even someone without children like him could understand that, what wouldn't he give to see his parents once more after all? Even thought he didn't even remember his father...  
"Once I've lived a life, I'm not suppose to interfere with it." she stated rather than needlessly confirm the statement – this was something Fate had said after all

"I won't say to go and meet them." the hanyou stated – even him could understand than interfering into your own life with time-travel could easily get messy "But is checking on them interfering? You don't have to meet them to see them you know." he pointed out  
Tsukiko's eyes were clearer at that affirmation – and as she stretched, before comfortably laying her head on her uncle's shoulder she nodded "You're right, oji-san, I was stupid..." a mumble "To think that stupid hat wanted me in Slytherin... I sure don't feel very cunning right now, not even able to think about going around the rules by myself..."

"That's why you're still a brat!"  
"Hey!"  
"Still, speaking of children..."  
"I don't mind Shippou seeing me as a mother. Even if I'm barely older than him. I've still got life-times of experience on him after all." she answer the question he hadn't asked yet "Same for Kanna. After all, he's right, we're already family..." with that, she closed her eyes – and was soon asleep  
InuYasha smiled at the trust she so easily showed him, before adding in a lower voice "You've got your answer, brat."

Shippou didn't move, nothing showing he'd been awake – but for the large smile now on his face as he snuggled into Padfoot's large form as in a blanket. He probably wouldn't be calling the ookami hime kaa-san anytime soon – but in his heart, he knew, each time he called her alpha, what he really meant.

¤.¤.¤

The next morning, the pack was greeted by a nasty surprise – a corpse, clearly controlled by Kagura's corpse dance, at the door-step of the abandoned hut they'd spent the night in.  
Still, the corpse had no fighting intent – and was instead a simple messenger.  
"A giant oni attacking a nearby village with a spider on his back. That sound's a lot like 'come and meet my new brother'." Sango was the first to comment  
"Well, it would be rude to refuse the invitation, no?" Tsukiko commented mildly  
"Keh. Who cares about rude! I've no intention of letting an occasion of getting to the bastard go!"

As for Kanna – while she didn't feel all that reassured at the idea of going toward anything linked to Naraku rather than fleeing in the opposite direction – Shippou had taken her hand, and affirmed "Don't worry, you don't have to fight." a smile, and FuurinKiba was in his small hands "After all, I can protect you."  
With that, he'd jumped on Padfoot, dragging her along, and toward a nearby village drenched in blood.

The pack arrived just in time for InuYasha to put Tessaiga between two kids and a large, furry oni youkai, while Miroku raised a wall of water while gesturing at the two young boys to run.  
"So you're the third one, eh!" the hanyou commented, blade still at the ready  
"Kufufu, you just thought that despite being so big a monster, I was rather nimble." the youkai drench in Naraku's smell affirmed  
InuYasha's eyes widened at the statement.  
"Yes, that's right. I can read minds!" the youkai turned toward the rest of the pack "Compared to I, Goshinki, my elder sisters are but minor characters now that I've been born!"

"Tch. A mind-reader you maybe, you still have to prove that you're not just all talk!" the hanyou announced loudly, jumping in the fight  
Goshinki nimbly avoided the blast of Tessaiga, and Miroku's attack with his water halberd "You are all pathetic! I can read all your mind, even attacking several at a time won't prevent me from reacting to all your attacks with how slow and weak you are!"  
Tsukiko, Kanna realized from her place on Padfoot's back, was holding back from the fight – yet as both Miroku and Sango were blasted back, then Kagome violently sent toward InuYasha, she could see the light shaking of the ookami's hands.  
This new alpha, the little girl mused, wasn't like the cruel progenitor that had created her to fight in his stead. She didn't shy from the fight, she desperately wanted to be in the front of the fight, protecting her friends...

"That's because we've got to learn to grow." Shippou whispered by her side - she wondered if she'd talked aloud, but the kit was already adding "You looked like you wanted to ask."  
Shippou, too, looked like he wanted to fight, she realized.  
"I said I'd protect you." he reminded her as she was about to ask – ask why he was still here when he so clearly wanted to be with the others

The ookami was frowning – the strategy her pack had adopted wasn't bad, attacking from several angles at the same time had been a good idea. But on top of being able to read their mind, which would have been a great advantage even for a weak youkai, the oni was far from being a push-over.  
Worse still, where Kanna and Kagura, while both born from Naraku, each had deep inside their own feelings and emotions, whereas the only thing that she could read from the third sibling was pure malice.

The one good news in all this, she mused while InuYasha prepared himself to cut the Kaze no Kizu, was that despite his impressive level 152, the oni was just as young as his other two siblings, and as such what he had in instincts and raw strengths, he still lacked in experience.  
The alpha eyes widened as she saw the enemy not even bothering to avoid the powerful attack coming at him but instead taking in head on – and piercing through it.  
"In the end," he boasted "your precious sword is still nothing more than a dog's fang..." and with that, he bit at the sword

Tsukiko had jumped in the fight as soon as she saw the cracks appear along Tessaiga's length, KageShin pushing the oni back with a bloody shoulder.  
"So you managed to dodge even without hearing me." she noted, impressed – clearly the annoying offspring of Naraku didn't rely only on his mind hearing ability  
As for the other, he stared at her with disbelieving eyes "Impossible! I can't hear your mind!"  
A smile.  
"Should I let you peak?" she wondered, the natural barrier around her mind descending but for an instant

The brief moment was more than enough, as the oni now looked crazed, whispering about the "countless voices" and didn't even react when his head was cut clean off his neck – after all, oni or not he was still a mortal, and unable to comprehend the mind of a being that had already ascended to another state.  
"Wow. Scary Tsuki-chan made an apparition." Shippou commented, Padfoot having followed his mistress as soon as he deemed the situation safe "So was it breaking InuYasha's sword, or threatening kids that did it?" he wondered idly  
"Well," Tsukiko sighed as she and her uncle were examining the damaged blade, completely ignoring the comment "we're due for a visit to Totosai it seems."

She had barely finished her sentence that a young voice was heard – and a little black haired girl arrived in the middle of the battlefield, followed by a harassed looking youkai – then a far more majestic one.  
"Chichi-ue." Tsukiko greeted with a smile  
"Musume." Sesshoumaru greeted in answer "You made quite a show of power the other day."  
"We felt it from way back where we were!" Rin nodded with a bright smile "Sesshoumaru-sama was teaching me how to recognize youki and reiki, so he told me it was you and I recognized you from when Sesshoumaru-sama saved me, pretty angel!"

"How many times must I tell you to refer to people with their proper titles!" Jaken protested in an argument that seemed to have already been repeated several times "This is Seshhoumaru-sama's honorable daughter, alpha of her pack, heir of the House of Moon! You will refer to her as Tsukiko-hime-sama!"  
"Tsukiko is alright." said alpha contradicted immediately – while Miroku barely concealed his bout of laughter at the reminder of how much their alpha didn't like lengthy titles  
"But... she's pretty like an angel!"  
"She's better than an angel!" Shippou immediately protested "Tsuki-chan kick ass, and angels are just wimps!"  
"Oh, alright then." Rin accepted the explanation easily "And who're you?"

Soon, Shippou was charming the little miko, and easily dragging her in a chat with the more reserved and shy Kanna.  
"So she's your new charge?" the inu daiyoukai was noting meanwhile "Powerful, but young."  
"Naraku made her, and broke her." his daughter explained "I stole her away."  
The approbation was subtle in the small nod her father gave at the explanation, but she knew him enough to understand. After all pack oriented youkai like inu were were protective of all young, even if the Lord hid it rather well.

"And here?"  
"Another of Naraku's spawn. Powerful."  
The daiyoukai eyes fell on Tessaiga, still in a disgruntled InuYasha hands "Indeed."  
"Its seal weakened." Tsukiko commented, but I interfered before it broke."  
"Relying on something like that is a weakness."  
"It's even more difficult for hanyou." a shrug "And he had no one to teach him."

"What are you talking about?" the pack beta wondered, finally realizing that the two were talking about him  
"Tessaiga is not only a sword, it also act as a suppressor of your youki."  
"What? Why?"  
"Because a hanyou near death has a dangerous surviving instinct that awakens all the potential of his youkai blood, making him far more powerful... but also little more that a mindless beast." his alpha explained, making him wince at the idea "This is something that can be controlled, but it requires intensive training, and quite a bit of meditation."  
She smiled at the grimace of distaste her uncle had automatically let out at the mention of meditation – but her beta had grown quite a lot since the day she'd met him, and instead of immediately refusing, he asked "There's no helping it?"

"Otherwise, you'll always have to rely on Tessaiga, an pray for the blade never to be taken from you."  
A sigh.  
"Meditation and training it is then."  
"Well said indeed!"

Most of the pack startled as a three-eyed bull popped suddenly, a familiar old youkai on it's back. Snatching Tessaiga out of InuYasha's hand, Totosai was suddenly crying loudly "Look at what you did to my work! Poor blade, it's ready to fall apart!"  
Tsukiko sighed at the blacksmith antics, and glared at him, the old youkai reflexively stepping back at the Sesshoumaru-worthy expression.

"Will you reforge it?" she asked  
"I will," he nodded "but it will need a filler."  
"All the better." the alpha nodded – InuYasha had made great progress working with his father legacy – it was time for him to learn more about his own powers  
Putting the damaged weapon in his mount's backpack, Totosai ambled toward the beheaded oni, nose wrinkling in distaste "Such a malicious aura." he sneered "Even dead it still ooze dark youki."

¤.¤.¤

With that, the wrinkled old youkai puffed up his cheeks – and let out a stream of blazing flames, soon burning the dead oni to cinders.  
With a satisfied nod, he turned toward the pack "Well, lets head to the forge."  
The travel to Totosai mountain was unbelievably short, Kagome mused – before Tsukiko, once more guessing about her though, explained "When a youkai is as old as Totosai, he tends to have a lot of different talents. One of those talent, a rather rare one since there aren't a lot of people left that can teach it, is that of being a Mist Path Traveler."

"Oh wow," Shippou realized, eyes widening "I thought it was only a legend! I mean you can barely notice it..."  
"How does it work?" Miroku asked  
"The wisps of mist that gather around him when he travels dims the path, and people don't realize that the path isn't quite the same as it usually is. This is a talent that help alter any road you've already traveled to go from a place to another faster."  
"This is so cool!" Shippou crowed "It's like a big fox illusion, but that only works when traveling!"

The kitsune himself didn't note it – but Tsukiko didn't miss the glint of interest in the old youkai eyes at her young charge's enthusiasm. And when she thought back to the first time she'd met an adult golden kitsune a few life back – the speed at which he'd traveled may not have been simple speed after all...  
Still, they were now nearing a peculiar mountain Kagome was rather sure she'd never seen in any geography book "The whole mountain is warded against humans." Myouga explained – apparently the annoying tick spent quite a lot of time there "But your pack bond will protect you."

"I think you may be the first humans in centuries to set foot here." Totosai confirmed "It's so infused with youki, albeit not particularly malicious one, that even the soil has become dangerous to humans."  
The blacksmith swiftly guided them to a rather secluded part of the mountain, where his workshop was set in a giant youkai skeleton. Putting the sword on his anvil, he turned toward InuYasha "Open mouth."  
The unsuspecting hanyou obeyed – and was soon owning one less fang.

"Bah don't cry, something like that will grow back in a day, even for a hanyou like you! Now let me work! It'll take three days and nights!"  
And just like that, the whole pack booted out. Tsukiko couldn't help but laugh.  
"While he is still cowed by chichi-ue, he is also far less respectful than in the future." she noted, amused  
"The brat hasn't proved himself yet!" was Totosai loud response from within his forge

Even those among the pack that were less acquainted with Sesshoumaru could read the annoyance on is face.  
"Anyway, we still have three days to wait, so what do we do?"  
"Isn't it evident?" Tsukiko asked with a sweet smile that made her whole pack shudder in dread "We train!"  
"Wah!" Shippou was the first to break down "I'm too young to die, please have mercy alpha!"  
Sesshoumaru lifted an eye brow at the reaction, but didn't comment. Curious to see how his daughter managed her pack, he settled on a rock.

"Miroku, you'll work InuYasha on meditation in the morning, you should be able to work on your water control at the same time."  
"Of course alpha." the houshi nodded with a smile  
"Kagome, you'll be working with Sango on youkai hunting techniques."  
The tajiya nodded – breaking the usual pairing prevented them from falling into bad habits, and teaching something was a good way to assure oneself you understood enough about the topic. On top of that, kind Kagome would benefit from being paired by someone a bit older, and less pacifist than her.  
"Shippou, you're with me." a smile "Since you've hit your second growth spur, its ample time you learned to shift to your true form."  
The kit whooped in joy at the affirmation, before stopping himself "But... Kanna?"

Smiling in approval at the concern, she simply pointed the kit toward his new young sister – the little girl was meditating. Or rather trying, as Rin was peppering her with questions, that she answered patiently.  
"Kanna still needs a lot of meditation because of what was done to her." Tsukiko explained, not to loud to avoid bothering the girl "And she already knows it so I didn't need to say anything." a smile "And I think spending some time with Rin could be good for both of them."  
The kit tilted his head, gazing thoughtfully at the two girls – and remembering how they'd found Rin among the wolves "Oh," he realized "alright then!"  
"We'll gather back after midday for some Chaos enhanced training." Tsukiko finished explaining to the pack – and with that, all were off to do their own training as paired

"There are two usual ways to train for your beast form." Tsukiko was soon lecturing "The fastest one is by using your natural instinct, but has the downside of leaving you nearly feral on your first transformation."  
The kit winced.

"The long way is by using mediation. But you've got a big advantage."  
"How so?" Shippou wondered – if, like any proper daiyoukai, he was rather used to meditation since young, he wasn't by any mean a master a it  
"Because as one of the few youkai to gain multiple Tails before hitting your growing spur, you've got power enough to try multiple times the transformation, as it is very tiring. And as a kitsune, you are already a shape-shifter."  
"This is why you've been pushing my training like this!" he realized, eyes widening – after all he didn't use that particular talent that much in combat, so he hadn't understood why she'd been putting the emphasis on it that much

"The technique to shift to your true form is along the same lines as that as your talent, except that rather than force your youki into another shape, you let it mold into the shape it wants... Without loosing your mind to it of course."  
"Of course." he repeated, now used to his alpha way of understating some things

After all, not losing your mind to your youki was the main danger to any youkai – the reason why all practiced meditation from a young age – and telling someone to let his youki do what it wanted without loosing oneself to it... well it was akin to the first time someone was told to think about nothing to learn mediation!  
"So..." he wondered "Can you show me?"  
A surge of power – and within moments, the small form of Tsukiko was replaced by a massive white wolf pup with fluffy tails more reminiscent of a fox...  
Even if he'd seen it once before, it was still impressive.  
Another heartbeat – and his alpha was back to her normal form, and gesturing for him to try.

And – it was much harder than she'd made it look like, but Shippou wasn't one to be easily deterred by difficulty. Hours went by as he tried again and again – each time gaining a bit more understanding about what he was trying to do.  
"One last time before we break for lunch!" Tsukiko called  
Shippou nodded that he'd heard – then closing his eyes, willed the change one more time, letting his youki flow through his small body, then searching further – the young child was enveloped in a surge of golden youki and blurred.

When Shippou opened his eyes again, everything looked far smaller than before.  
Bewildered, he stumbled, not having expected for it to have actually worked this time, and let out a startled yip – that was answered with a laughing bark. Nipping at his heels, the large white wolf cub he recognized as his alpha was already darting away, challenging him.  
Needing a moment to find the right balance between acknowledging the instincts that told him how his new body worked and not loosing himself in them, he was soon rushing behind Tsukiko.

The alpha let them play a few moments in the empty plain before leading them back to the place where the pack had settled, once more transitioning from one form to the other with seamless grace.  
The kit copied the feeling of her youki, condensing his powers back to the form he was more familiar with – before collapsing, spent out.

She hadn't joked when saying that transforming was very demanding, no wonder you had to be both powerful enough and old enough to attempt this kind of change!  
Around the fire place where InuYasha and Miroku had already started to prepare lunch, the rest of the pack was soon congratulating the barely awake kitsune – who despite how tired he felt, still had a large happy smile on his face.  
Yet, despite his state – Shippou didn't miss the strange look InuYasha gave him before congratulating him, a look gone so fast he nearly think he'd dreamt it.

¤.¤.¤

It was only later, as the evening training with Chaos Game had been done and Miroku was commenting about the coming new moon – that Shippou remembered that as powerful as he was, InuYasha still remained a hanyou, neither human nor youkai, never looking fully human but on their night of weakness.  
Never able feel the rush of freedom, euphoria and power a youkai felt when slipping in the true form of his soul.  
His smile dimmed as he suddenly felt the joy of the day tainted by the realization he'd just had.

"Don't pity my brother for what he doesn't have."  
The kit startled – deep into his mind as he was, he hadn't heard the daiyoukai coming closer.  
"Still... It's not fair." Shippou couldn't help but complain "InuYasha may be an idiot, but he's as kind as any houshi, and as powerful as even daiyoukai, yet he always have to prove himself worthy, be it to humans or us youkai more than anyone else."

"That's the lot of hanyou." the daiyoukai nodded "But my daughter is the proof that things will change."  
"I'll make them if I have to!" Shippou nodded decidedly  
"You'll have to grow stronger for that."  
"I will."  
The daiyoukai eyed him, as if testing his resolve – but Shippou didn't waver under the cold and calculating stare. Sesshoumaru affirmation that things were different in the future only reminding him that things weren't different **yet,** and that people had to do something for the situation to evolve.

He meant what he'd just said to the older daiyoukai – he may be young and small still, he was a daiyoukai too, even if he had no name to help nor uphold.  
One day not too far away, Naraku would be dealt with, the Shikon no Tama put back together – and who knew what would happen to Kagome and Tsukiko then – and he would grow enough to earn his stripes too, just like Kouga had gone to do not so long ago.  
Here and then – the kitsune decided that he too would settled for nothing less than the alpha marks on the first try, and become known and respected enough that his word would have weight among youkai.

Whatever Sesshoumaru was searching for, he must have found – for the if daiyoukai didn't say anything, his youki did flare. Shippou didn't need Chaos Game to understand what had just happened.

 **[Political System** updated!  
 **Shippou** _(kitsune, LV123)_ has been upgraded from member to apprentice of the House of Moon: +50XP]  
[ **"Member of the House of Moon"** title  
updated to  
 **"Apprentice of the House of Moon"** title  
+25% SP and XP when learning under another member of the House of Moon]

If Shippou was surprised, he at least had the advantage of having been talking with the daiyoukai, and so had realized that something was about to happen when the powerful youki mingled with his aura.  
InuYasha on the other hand, was completely unprepared for both the youki, and the notification that followed

 **[Political System** updated!  
 **InuYasha** _(hanyou, LV140)_ has been added to the family of the House of Moon: +50XP]  
[ **"Member of the House of Moon"** title  
updated to  
 **" House of Moon Main Family Member"** title  
+1 Intelligence, +1 Agility, +1 Charisma]

"What are you doing?" the hanyou couldn't help but ask suspiciously, unprepared for the notification  
Because, more than a simple CP boost, it was the title change itself that spoke of massive changes – this was an acknowledgment he'd never thought to gain, had never really tried to gain, this was a true, and even rather important part in youkai society, the symbolic right to wear the blue moon his brother and alpha wore on their brow on his clothes.

This was full and undisputed acceptance from his brother.  
And the hanyou didn't know how to react to this.  
"Something chichi-ue should have been the one to do." the daiyoukai answered simply  
"Don't expect me to call you onii-sama." he grumbled, unsure of himself

"Of course not." the older inu answered aloofly – his calm may be a facade, he wasn't much better than his sibling at dealing with emotions after having to hid them away for so long to earn respect as the youngest Cardinal Lord  
As Shippou was settling for the night in a puppy pile with both Rin and Kanna but also Padfoot, Shingetsu and even Kirara, while InuYasha was speaking softly with Kagome, and Miroku awkwardly flirting with Sango – Tsukiko went to her father with a smile.

She wouldn't thank him for what he did, as much as she wanted to – because this wasn't why he'd done it, and because she was more curious about what had brought about that new change that was a clear step from this young daiyoukai to her beloved father.  
"Your kit's soul was crying for InuYasha."  
Her smile too dimmed as the short sentence was enough to make her realize the very same thing Shippou had realized – something she already knew of course, from her era, but had never hit quite so close home.

"He was angry for the hanyou's lack of acknowledgment."  
Between her innate knowledge about her father's mind, and her unearthly senses, she could divine the rest of the story.  
Could feel the rage Sesshoumaru felt at himself that he had needed another youkai, one so young at that, to make him realize – realize that even him that had granted the hanyou pack marks hadn't even thought about granting him something that had been his birthright; realize that even if he aknowledged his brother the rest of the youkai still saw him as little more than a human mongrel while humans saw him as an unnatural abomination; realize that just as the kit had said it was up to them to change things.

So angry at himself was the daiyoukai, he didn't even realize that the sword by his side was humming in approval.

The next two days the pack spent training on the same layout as the first day, morning spent training by pair, the midday lunch paired with a verbal lesson for the children – as Rin was still with them – and the afternoon dedicated to more intensive training thanks to Chaos Game while Rin took back her usual training with Sesshoumaru.  
Sango, who hadn't seen InuYasha's transformation before, was rather surprise as with the setting sun white hair faded to black, dog ears turning back to human ones.

"Tch." the hanyou was protesting from a low branch he was resting on "I hate feeling that weak."  
"Well," his alpha suggested lightly "You know what to do..."  
"Train not to feel weak, yes, yes, but it's not like I can train any of my usual abilities like that."  
"Well you don't have youki right now," Tsukiko agreed easily "you still are in great physical condition even as a human. And getting used to fight in this form can only be beneficial for a worst case scenario."

"I guess." the hanyou turned human agreed reluctantly "Sango, if you wouldn't mind?"  
"Of course." the tajiya agreed easily, equipping back the armor and weapons she'd relieved herself from for the evening "We could go in an empty Arena." she suggested  
After all while the hanyou trusted his pack with his secret, there was no reason to risk it being discovered by any other youkai around – and even if they were in a rather secluded part of the mountain, they'd still realized that the region was far from empty on their second day there.  
On the contrary there was a village with a large market brimming in activity not that far away, making the mountain one of the most densely populated area for youkai.

The only reason why Totosai own bit of land was so empty was the irascibility of the old youkai, that the other respected if only because of his indisputable talent as a blacksmith.  
As the two disappeared, Miroku relaxed slightly – Tsukiko smiled at the indication the houshi had been prepared to hold vigil all night if necessary to protect their beta's secret.

Sesshoumaru of course was near enough that he'd seen InuYasha turn human with the end of daylight, and looked as if he wanted to ask, but didn't. So Tsukiko was the one to inform her father about InuYasha's weakness – after all, the fact the hanyou hadn't even tried to hid from his brother had been telling enough.  
The hime couldn't help but smile at how similar the two brothers were when it came to lacking in words.

The night was nearly ending, and the young alpha drowsing by her father's side, when youki flared nearby. Father and daughter jumped to their feet as from above them a large form jumped from the clouds it had been running on and dropped to the ground.  
"My, what a surprise."  
The inu youkai whose arrival had awakened the pack was a beautiful woman – with white hair, golden eyes and a blue moon on her brow.

"There has been rumors going around, you know." she commented casually "About the Lord of the West growing weak like his honorable father before him, mingling with humans and hanyou..." she looked around "I though the rumors laughable, but there may be more truth to them than I thought."  
"Watch how you speak, woman!"  
"My, is that a way to speak to your mother? Such an uncouth son I've raised..." the inu youkai sighed theatrically

¤.¤.¤

Cold she may seemed from the outside – Shadow's pack was getting to know Sesshoumaru by now, even if they wouldn't say as much in front of the daiyoukai – and it made his mother much easier to understand than she would otherwise had been.  
Then, the daiyoukai caught sigh of Tsukiko. And from affected cold disappointment toward her son, she went into childish excitement.  
"Oh my, seems that rumor too was true! Look at the adorable grand-pup I have! Just for that I forgive your insolence... No wait! Sesshoumaru, why am I seeing my grand-pup only now?"

From the sideline, the pack plus Rin and Jaken could only watch as the elegant and confusing woman continued to chastise Sesshoumaru like a pup.  
"Wow," Shippou was the first to talk "I thought alpha was the only one to be able to surprise Sesshoumaru-sama."  
"Rin didn't know Sesshoumaru-sama had a mother." the little girl by his side added "She's just as beautiful as Tsuki-chan."

As for Tsukiko – finally managing to find a moment to speak, she was bowing in the traditional greetings her father had accustomed her to "This one is honored to meet you, InuKimi o-hime-sama."  
The young alpha was embraced in a bone-crushing bones.  
"That's it, I'm keeping her. She'll become all cold and boring if she stays with you."

Tsukiko's smile softened in the older youkai's arms, as behind the words, she could feel the lingering regrets the woman had – for her son's strict education as heir of his house, that had made him grow serious too fast, then his father's death that had changed the serious boy in a cold adult far too early.  
Even if youkai were more respectful of power, they still tended to disregard female, just like humans, except in the scarce matriarchal tribes.

"Chichi-ue is always patrolling so he forgets to visit, doesn't he?" Tsukiko casually remarked – making the female daiyoukai laugh at the hidden reprimand, while Sesshoumaru's eyes widened in understanding  
So intent he had been on protecting the lands inherited from his father from the vultures waiting for him to show any weakness – the daiyoukai had indeed closed his heart to his family, thinking that keeping his mother away would protect her, but forgetting that she would miss him just as he had missed the annoying woman, deep inside.

After that, the two woman had settled on a nearby rock – InuKimi impressive in the way she managed to look regal even when sitting on a stone – with Sesshoumaru looming by their side. Chattering amicably, the older one had managed to learn that no, her son hadn't hidden away his pup from her, something that had secretly hurt her, but that she came from the future, that they didn't usually travel together but somehow always ended up crossing path.  
Soon, Inukimi was drilling her grand-daughter about her pack, surprised, but not disapproving of the strange assortment of humans and youkai, something rather unexpected coming from such an old and powerful daiyoukai.

It was then that InuYasha appeared, the dawn having brought back his usual powers with him. The beta stopped awkwardly where he'd appeared, staring at the newcomer hesitantly – looking ready both to bolt and attack at the same time.  
It wasn't that hard to realize that InuKimi was Sesshoumaru's mother after all – the daiyoukai princess his father had forsaken to instead take up with a human hime.  
And as loud as he used to be about insulting his brother – he never had forgotten that _he_ was the bastard child.

Evidently, InuKimi too had recognized the child, even if she hadn't seen him before. But before her eyes lightened up again, only sadness and longing could be read – what use was it to condemn a child for her husband's faults?  
"You look just like your father." she couldn't help but remark as a greeting – and from the tone of her voice, even InuYasha couldn't miss it – she still loved the man "Why did my Sesshoumaru have to take so much after me?" she wondered with a pout  
And just like that, any misgiving the hanyou had been about being in front of the woman were gone.

But anything he could have said was interrupted – as Totosai choose that moment to appear.  
"I was wondering what the commotion was about," the blacksmith commented while holding out a familiar blade to InuYasha "Of course it would be you, InuKimi-sama."  
"Long time no see, Totosai."  
The youkai nodded his greetings back, then turned toward InuYasha "Well then boy, go ahead."  
Having been waiting for that, the hanyou didn't waste a second – being without Tessaiga for three days had made him see just how much he'd come to rely on the blade, yet somehow he couldn't completely regret it.

While working to master his father's inheritance, he came to truly respect his blade, developing with it the kind of relation only true sword-master could.  
Which is why, even before drawing the blade he could see it had changed.  
"Well of course," Totosai grumbled as he said as much "after all the blade that was your father's strength is now your own." a sigh "Draw it already!"  
InuYasha obeyed – confirming that once unsealed, the blade still went from traditional katana to he large claw fang he was used to.  
Except...

"What the fuck, old man! Why did it become so heavy?"  
"Heavy?" Shippou repeated, surprised just as the rest of the group  
"Bah! What did you expect!" the blacksmith protested "I just told you!"  
"What he means is that for a blade forged from your own fang, usually it grows in power as the same rate as you do. But Tessaiga was already strong."  
"So now I'm the one who must catch up?" InuYasha realized, eyes wide

Meanwhile Totosai, deciding his part was done with the hanyou, was already turning his attention elsewhere "Hu. Well give it!"  
Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow at the unexpected demand, and Totosai went on "Tenseiga. Its opinion has changed once more."  
Sighing at the stubborn daiyoukai, Totosai sighed "I'm saying I'm going to reforge it, not destroy it!" he barked "Your blade will become a cutting one."

At that, it was Tsukiko's turn to be surprise. Tenseiga, cutting? She knew the blade from back home, and ddidn't remember a cutting blade.  
Sesshoumaru noted her surprise, but gave his blade nonetheless to the blacksmith, that with a "Three days and three nights, like the other." had already disappeared back into his workshop

The pack shared glance – they didn't have any reason to stay here any longer, but at the same time, none of them wanted to separate Tsukiko from her family now that they were reunited. After all - their alpha did talk from time to time about her daily life in the future.  
And never had InuKimi been mentioned.  
When you added that to the fact that she genuinely had seemed to see her for the first time when the daiyoukai had arrived – and there really was only on conclusion they could come to...

"Well," InuYasha loudly affirmed, making the decision for all "seems like we've got three more days of training."  
Nobody – not even Sesshoumaru – commented on the fact that technically nothing was keeping their pack there, as the hanyou had his blade back...  
"Alpha," Shippou requested, a hand on her sleeve "Let me train with InuYasha this morning."  
Tsukiko eyed the kit – then satisfied that he was serious about his request, and didn't ask just to pelt the hanyou with pranks like he was wont to do from time to time she nodded, before turning toward Kanna "How is your meditation going along?"

The girl paused a second – still quite shy, but growing better by the day, even thought the ookami rather doubted she'd ever be as exuberant as the kitsune "Good." she eventually answered "I could do something else if you wanted?"  
"Do you want to learn something?"  
Surprised at being given a choice, the void spirit still thought carefully about it before eventually saying "The houshi talked about wards. It... sounded interesting..."

"Well his wards are powered by reiki, but the basis are still about the same for youkai, even if we don't always use the same medium, and I've got some books." a pile of school books were taken out of her **Inventory**  
And Miroku was the one to take them "I'll work with her." he confirmed with a smile that was echoed hesitantly by the little girl

"Well," Sango suggested, sharing a glance with Kagome "shall we train Rin in some basic weapon training?"  
"What weapon?" Sesshoumaru interrupted – taking an interest when it came to his ward education  
"A bit of all we've got available." Sango decided with a nod to herself "After all we can't just train her in any weapon before testing first to what she's suited best."

The daiyoukai nodded his approval, and InuKimi clapped her hands happily "Its just the three of us left together! Your pack is so kind!"  
Jaken face-faulted at the casual way the daiyoukai had forgotten about him – while the pack sweat-dropped at how easily she pointed out their maneuvering.

With that, InuKimi was dragging away both her son and grand-daughter "Come! Let's see what I can teach you! Hurry up, I want to visit the market tonight!"  
The three youkai of the House of Moon didn't show back at the camp before the end of the afternoon – and by then, both father and daughter looked battered up, while a pristine InuKimi was smiling happily "That was a good work out! Now let's take a bath before going to the market!"

"Bath?" Kagome perked up "I didn't realize there was any flowing water nearby?" she added in wonder - usually one of the youkai told the human about any bathing place around  
"There wasn't." Tsukiko answered, looking a bit bewildered "So obaa-san dug a hot spring."  
The young miko decided not to ask how one could just dig up a hot spring, taking pity on the exhausted looking alpha.

The Lord of the West mother's seem to understand that the humans weren't comfortable sharing a bath – although she had to be explained that it wasn't because they were afraid of her or Sesshoumaru but social differences – but the rest of the pack didn't have any excuses.  
And so Shippou skipped away happily enough with them, promising to Kagome he'd leave a trail for her to follow latter and holding hands with Kanna, while InuYasha was dragged enthusiastically by the regal lady like an unruly puppy – and the three four-legged members of the pack were following happily too.

¤.¤.¤

Still, once in the hot springs, pack instincts weren't long to resurface as Shippou and InuYasha were soon bickering while Tsukiko was washing Kanna's hair.  
"I can't believe my son will manage to find an ookami powerful enough to birth you." InuKimi was marveling while letting her hands play with the soft white fur "I mean the Lord of the East is an ookami but..."  
"His daughter is an annoying weak thing." Sesshoumaru was the one to complete "Who'll never grow up."

"Yes I don't think Akiko-hime will ever mature." Tsukiko nodded "Fortunately, she has no interest in power, and her father was intelligent enough to realize she was in no way Cardinal Lady material. My mother was a European wolf."  
Mother an son both took note on the past tense, but didn't comment on it, InuKimi instead wondering "Still, you look far more like a kitsune even if there's no mistaking your scent... You even show you tails like them!"  
"Well they were the first youkai I met." Tsukiko explained

"Really?" Shippou interrupted his bickering, sensing a story he hadn't already heard "But you were human back then?"  
"I was. And you can imagine how surprised how surprised Hiraku was when he realized what I was." a smile "Still we met a few times and eventually, I was made Friend of the Kitsune."  
"And your alpha mark, what made you you took the test so early?" an amused smile "After all even my impatient son waited until he was over his second growth spur to take it." her eyes lost a bit of their shimmer as she added "Only in dire times do the pups have to grow up too fast."  
"Tch. She's right," InuYasha commented with a smirk "Given how much of a mother-hen the bastard is right now, and how he sounds to be even worse in the future, I don't see him letting you go through the Coming of Age Trial without a good reason."

"Well... you're not wrong." Tsukiko laughed "But I was born with those stripes."  
While the hanyou face-faulted in the water – a bit aided by his brother who hadn't appreciated the mother-hen comment – Shippou was the one to realize "Oh! Is it like those scars you've got from your previous life?"  
"Exactly. Some event leave a mark not only on the body, but on the soul itself."  
"So, how did you become an alpha then?" the kit wondered "After all, you said it was the first time you're a youkai!"

"I was fourteen and human when I was dropped in the middle of the Trials. I let you guess about how happy the youkai were about that." she laughed  
"Yet somehow, by the end of the trial you were the one they designed as their leader, uh." InuYasha laughed while pushing his dripping hair out of his face "Figures."  
"Uh. So my son wasn't the one to grant you your mark?" InuKimi noted "Too bad, that's something my husband boasted about for months when Sesshoumaru gained his stripes..."  
"No," Tsukiko said with a mischievous smile, eyes on Shippou even if the kit didn't realize it "The one to grant me my stripes was his first General, and the most powerful nine-tailed golden kitsune of Japan."

Of course – the rest of the youkai understood what she hadn't said easily enough, the look of pride in her eyes clear. Sesshoumaru nodded his head in satisfaction, now having the proof that placing his trust in the kit the day before hadn't been a wasted effort.

As for Shippou, as the only who hadn't understood she was talking about himself, his eyes lightened in awe "This kitsune sounds so cool! You really should have been one too rather than an ookami... Oh I know, why don't you take shape-shifting as your next Tail power?" he asked excitedly "Then we could change together and look like twins!"  
"You can already change yourself to look like her, dumb kit." InuYasha protested  
"But I can't change my size!" Shippou protested as his hair, tails and eyes easily turned to white and gold  
With an amused smile Tsukiko closed her eyes – and shrunk to the kit's size under his eyes "I didn't know you could do that! I thought you could only change your face or things like that since it's the human version you've got!"

"Metamorph can't change their species." she confirmed "But in our human form we don't have that much differences as we're both canine daiyoukai."  
"Aren't they so cute?" InuKimi teased both her son and his brother "Now if only the little void girl had golden eyes, I could almost imagine they were all my grand-children..." a melodramatic sigh "But instead here I am with the knowledge that only one is mine, and that you apparently won't bother giving me more!"  
The daiyoukai then turned imperiously toward InuYasha "Since my son is such a disappointment, I'm counting on you!" ignoring the splutter the affirmation provoked, her eyes seized him "You are already powerful for a hanyou, so even if you decided to mate a human you should be able to bind her to your life-spawn, and the inu blood would still be strong... And not only are those ears cute, but with you power you should soon manifest a tail too!"

"Wow, wait a minute, what do you mean binding a human to my life-spawn?"  
"Well," Tsukiko was the one to explain "we haven't gotten to mating just yet since you've still got much to learn about youkai, and Shippou is still young, but when youkai mates, if one of the two has a shorter life expectancy, they can tie their life-spawn." the ookami explained – her eyes softened as she added "That Inu no Taishou didn't do so with your mother..."  
"I already know he didn't intend on keeping her." InuYasha interrupted "As a pup I once spied on a chat between her and some guy..." he explained "Apparently she was promised to some human lord, but didn't want him. So instead, she counted the days and managed to get pregnant with me." a frown "Probably hopping dad would protect her because of me, but since he died, that plan didn't work too well, eh?"

InuYasha smiled as he went on "But the thing is... When that guy told him that she could have her life as a hime back, she refused. Because the only condition they gave her was to abandon me. And she didn't do it. She preferred to struggle to live as a peasant, looked down on by people because she had a hanyou brat, that get back to the easy life she had lived before. And even if she used him... I still think she loved him from the way she talked about oyaji..." he concluded simply  
"Inu no Taishou may not have intended to let her live longer than a human, he still loved his human hime." InuKimi was the first to broke the silence – gaining shocked look from both her son and his brother "We were mated, and he loved me too, but I wasn't enough for him I fear..." she admitted "I was used to submit to traditions and never went looking further, while he had a curious nature, and a fascination with humans..."

Her smile at InuYasha was the softest she'd shown until then "This is why I don't resent you. He was the one to fell in love with two woman, and not messing with your mother's life was also a proof of love in his eyes. He didn't want her to have to stay young, and unchanged, while the people she knew grew old and withered around her."  
"Normal humans aren't equipped to a life as long as ours." Tsukiko nodded "Some of them may adapt, but most only grow sad or resentful. Because living too long puts a strain on their soul."  
The affirmation made InuYasha and Shippou's eyes glimmer with sadness – as both were suddenly reminded that they traveled with three humans.

"Still, humans with powers tend to live longer life." the ookami went on explaining "And Kagome should never have been born human with the size of her soul, but that is probably the Shikon no Tama's meddling."  
"You mean?"  
"Souls change and evolve with their reincarnation. While people don't remember the things they experimented in their previous life, it still has an effect on their soul. Kagome's soul was indeed Kikyou's before her. And probably Midoriko's too. And the more powerful people grow, the larger their soul."  
"So Kagome-chan should be a youkai?"

"As a young girl her soul could already handle the life of a hanyou." Tsukiko nodded "But right now, with how powerful she's grown, yes she could live as long as a youkai." a smile "Just like oji-san could."  
"Huh?"  
"Well you've grown oji-san. Just like InuKimi said, you'll manifest tails soon enough, that's rather telling for a hanyou." a smile "Even Sango-chan and Miroku-san won't live just the few decades of normal humans." her eyes were shining with hope "It may be a bit selfish, and part of the reason why I push then so far..."  
"You hope for them to live through the centuries." Sesshoumaru was the one to understand  
"I don't want to have to say goodbye at the end of this journey in the past." a shrug "I don't know about Kagome, but I know that once the Shikon no Tama will be destroyed, and Naraku beaten, my place is in the future. So I'm hoping for a see you in a few centuries when the time comes!"

"I'll be there!" Shippou promised immediately, hoping in his alpha's arms  
"I know you will." she confirmed with a fond smile, adding with a pout "You'll even be taller than me..."  
After that, the talk had died down, and the youkai had let Kagome and Sango take their place in the hot spring with Rin – with InuYasha keeping an eye on Miroku, who ended up being the last to take advantage of the warm water, and they soon were going toward the village they had know wasn't that far, but hadn't seen yet.

"Training is important," InuKimi was saying as she was herding them "But you need to relax too from time to time!"  
"I'm not sure putting a pack as strange as ours in the middle of a youkai market is a good idea InuKimi-sama..." Miroku was the one to point out  
"Bah, nonsense, they have noses so they'll know your under the House of Moon protection!" her smile grew sadistic, and the pack suddenly understood better how she could be Sesshoumaru's mother "And if they're too stupid to use their nose or their brain, then nobody can complain when we trash them!"  
The houshi sighed, having come to understand in the few hours they'd spent with the regal daiyoukai that there was no reasoning with her – she was a force of nature, and the best course of action was to agree with her and pray the resulting damages weren't too bad.

In the end, there was less than a dozen of fight that were brought by their presence, which the pack decided to count as a success, and they did enjoyed their trip – Rin and Kanna ending up with new matching kumo-silk yukata courtesy of InuKimi, a blushing InuYasha putting a rather cute ornament in Kagome's hair (but only because it had an Enhancement Stone empty slot and could double as a hidden blade,of course) while Miroku and Sango were strolling hands in hands, the houshi having become a bit more honest about his feelings ever since Tsukiko had promised she wouldn't let him die from the kazaana.

The two following days were spent on the same rhythm, all of the pack training intensively during the day – and somehow, even if she didn't really know why, Tsukiko had the feeling that the hanyou was even more intent on improving than before, and was pushing the pack more too, taking his role as a beta to new length, and confirming in her mind that her uncle wouldn't always be her beta.  
Now that he was growing up, she knew he'd earn his position as an alpha in his own right in a future not that far away.

The rest of the pack had realized too their beta's new attitude – but hadn't needed to ask as a morning, right after InuKimi had dragged away her family for training, the hanyou and the kitsune had taken turns to explain about what their alpha had told them in the hot springs.  
About how souls grew in power and size – and how that in turn would affect their time on Earth.

 **[Hidden Quest Unlocked! Until we Meet Again...**  
 **First Goal:** grow powerful enough to live until the XX century (3/9 Tails)  
 **Second Goal:** manage to live through the Great Disappearance  
 **Third Goal:** find your alpha in her own time  
 **First Goal Reward:** +100XP per Tail, +1 Tail Perk upon completion  
 **Second Goal Reward:** +100XP, Political System update upon completion  
 **Third Goal Reward:** +100XP, +1 Alternate Life Perk upon completion]

The pack had shared satisfied glances at the new quest – while it hadn't been necessary for their resolve, it did mean that they could do it. That even Chaos and Fate, the two who had the most say on Chaos Interface, wanted them to succeed.

¤.¤.¤

When Tsukiko, Sesshoumaru and InuKimi came back from the daily torture the eldest so enjoyed inflicting on her family, both mother and son could feel the new resolve the pack had found – and even if neither showed it, both were proud of the pack gathered by the youngest of their family.  
"Well," InuKimi had then announced with a small measure of regret "I was just coming for the market so its time for me to head home or my own young charges will start to worry about me."  
Her youki flared around her, mingling with all of them "My son insisted to have my home warded, so with that you should be able to find it, so come and visit!"  
And with a jump, the beautiful lady was replaced by a no-less beautiful great white dog, soon disappearing in the clouds.

 **[Political System** updated!  
You are now Favored of InuKimi

while this has no direct effect, people will now know that you are viewed favorably by InuKimi, Lady of the West and shiro inu daiyoukai of great power.]

 **[Hidden Quest Complete! Meeting the Moon Hime...**  
 _You have gained InuKimi's approval_  
 **Reward:** +200XP, **InuKimi's** **Approval** (+10 to Poison Fang if/when unlocked and Poison Endurance) Perk unlocked  
 _you impressed InuKimi enough that she has granted you free access to her home as one of her Favored_  
 **Bonus Reward:** +400XP, **InuKimi's** **Youki** **Mark** (+1 to all CP ) Perk unlocked]

 **[Level up!** You are now level 163!  
 _+1SP]_  
 **[Level up!** Sango is now level 119!  
 _+3SP]_  
 **[Pack level up!** Shadow Pack is now level 5!  
 _+1 Tail Perk]_

[ **Tail Perks**  
 **\- Pack Symbiosis:** you learn from your pack mate, **Metamorph** is now just as versatile as **Shape-shifting** but the skill is dropped down by half its points  
 **\- Dying Will:** your determination unlocks the fiery powers held within your soul (inherited from past life)  
\- **Moon** **Princess:** your defensive abilities are granted a bonus based on your Light Affinity and your offensive abilities are granted a bonus based on your Darkness Affinity (unlocked by activating "Heir of the House of Moon" title)  
 **Youkai** **Miko:** you may be the first, you certainly won't be the last, and you all will gain the characteristic of both species (unlocked by the Holy System update)

 _note that in the **Youkai** **Miko** tail-perk,the miko CP bonus will be decennial and not yearly given the life-span of youkai  
_ _Available: 1_ ]

The pack wasn't given the time to think about the new Tail Perk unlocked as Totosai had chosen that moment to appear, sword in hand.  
He held the weapon expectantly toward Sesshoumaru – without missing a beat the shiro inu drew the sword in a smooth, practiced motion. Tenseiga's blade hummed, light emitting around it. With a jump and a slash, the Lord of the West unleashed his new attack.  
"Well," Totosai admitted, reluctantly approving "that's some good instinct and understanding of your weapon."

"And such an interesting attack, at that." Tsukiko echoed, eyes gleaming green – making her pack wonder what exactly they were seeing, in the large, dark crescent moon that had been opened in the sky  
"This is Meidou Zangetsuha, the dark path of the moon." Totosai explained "It allows the wielder of Tenseiga to cut open a path that sends his enemies directly in hell."

The explanation stunned Shadow's pack – but explained only too well why their alpha had reacted to it, even if she didn't seem too disaproving.  
"As you gain mastery over this attack," the blacksmith went on explaining "the form will go from crescent to full moon."  
With that, Totosai seemed ready to go – but InuYasha caught him by the neck of his haori before he could disappear "Not so fast, old man!"  
"What do you want?" the youkai grouched moodily  
The hanyou drew his sword, not noticing the blacksmith impressed reaction at the ease with which he did it.

"It's already lighter, so what do you want?"  
"It's lighter." the hanyou confirmed "But not yet as much as it used to. And while I can understand the value of training at my own rhythm, I don't have time right now."  
Totosai eyed him for a moment, searching in the beta's eyes – and apparently founding what he was looking for.  
"You must surpass your father." he stated dryly "The fastest way to do that would be to slay Ryukossei. But beware!" he warned "The old dragon may be sealed right now, he still was the youkai who caused the wounds that took your father's life, don't go to this battle lightly or you won't survive."  
"I see." a resolute nod "Thanks old man!"

"Well I guess we've got our next destination then." Tsukiko commented "Chichi-ue." she turned toward her father, ready to take leave of him  
"Until we meet again." the inu nodded with a small smile, before nodding toward InuYasha "Otouto." a nod to the rest of them "Pack."  
With that, he was off, Rin and Jaken following, the little girl enthusiastically waving at them.  
InuYasha was still shell-shocked from the simple farewell.

"I think Sesshoumaru-sama broke InuYasha." Shippou fake-whispered, making the pack laugh heartily  
Soon, they too were taking their leave from Totosai, Myouga with them – apparently the old youkai knew exactly where the dragon was sealed and was volunteering himself to guide them there.

* * *

¤.¤.¤

* * *

Ryoichi, Shinobu, Kurama and the dozen of orphans traveling along came to a sudden stop as the countryside around them suddenly looked devastated.  
"What the..."  
"Eh. This is Ginka and Kinka 's doing. You shouldn't stay here, they don't stop for anyone, not even youkai."  
Surprised at the rather warm welcome from a human to a group of youkai, Ryoichi asked "What do you mean?"

"They are two youkai brothers who are always quarreling." the old human explained with a resigned shrug "They don't care about anything else than trying to kill each other and all the neighboring villages are but collateral to their family dispute."  
"Wow. That's overkill, even for youkai." Shinobu couldn't help but comment "So from the look on you face, I'd guess we're going?"  
"You sure like to save people for a killer." Kurama added "I don't understand what's your deal with that." a shrug "I mean people live, people die... This sort of things happens all of the times..."

The kitsune eyed the youko speculatively.  
While he could understand hardening one's heart to survive, it seemed to him the other fox had done so to an unprecedented level, and really seemed to have a hard time grasping what were even to him basic emotions. He sighed – while he wasn't a monster by any mean, he wasn't either the kind of people who could heal people around him. Or well, heal their mind, he corrected himself.  
Healing a wound was easy next to getting stuck explaining emotions to a clueless youko...

Maybe it was because as a beast youkai, he'd had far less contact with humans and didn't know how to live in society.  
"I'm not a killer, I'm an assassin." he opted to correct "The difference between an assassin and a killer is understanding the weight of a life." he gestured at the whole group, and even the human villager "I could kill you all here and now, but I don't. As an assassin, before killing someone I wonder 'why should I?'. A killer wonders 'Why shouldn't I?'."  
"And you're not just an assassin. You're a healer too." Shinobu pointed out  
"Exactly. And the difference between a healer and someone who merely knows how to heal is precisely the reverse."  
"A healer will wonder 'why shouldn't I' and a con-man will wonder 'why should I'." a small Tengu said softly among the orphans "Father was a healer..." he added with a proud smile "And he used to say exactly the same thing!"

Kurama – didn't look like he really understood – Ryoichi noted. But he had still heard the explanation, and his thoughtful look was proof enough that sooner or later, when he'd learn more about the bonds between people, he'd understood.  
While the kitsune didn't think he'd be the one to teach all that to his friend – he looked forward to meeting him again when the time was right and the youko had grown into his feelings.

That said, he turned his attention back to the human, who seemed rather approving of the philosophy, if his respectful nod was anything to go by, and started to ask more about the two brothers.  
Apparently the two youkai bore no ill will to the rest of the world, be them youkai or humans – they were simply so engrossed in their never ending fight that everything around them ended up as collateral damages.  
Their quarrel, whatever it was, went so far that they even ate and slept exactly a the same time as the other – as if one brother had ever saw a weakness in the other, he'd already had ended the fight in a quite permanent fashion.

"Well," the fox decided after his questions had been answered "let's go and ask those two about the reason of their fight!"  
Shinobu rolled his eyes, Kurama looked ready to bang his head around the nearby rock – and the young orphans broke in cheers, all quite sure their hero would save those two youkai too, just like they had been saved.

Finding the two brothers wasn't too difficult – one just had to follow the trail of disasters...  
The two youkai they happened upon had the upper half of a human, and a lower half of a snake – and the two large scaly tails were entwined together so tightly it didn't look like they could be pried apart.

" So," Ryoichi asked after having the two's attention by sending a well aimed Fox Fire ball between the two "what's your deal?"  
"What? You interrupted just to ask?" the first one, with red skin and fire at the ready asked  
"Well you are causing quite an inconvenience for everyone around you." he pointed out  
"And what about our inconvenience?" the second one, with golden skin and lightning brimming around, asked "Try living with him day in and day out!"

"Can't you just live apart if you can't stand each other?" Shinobu wondered  
"Tch we would if we could!" the fiery twin asked  
"But that's the curse of our specy!" the other added  
"We're born from our egg as one being with two head, the stronger head preying on the weakest as soon as we break out of our shell." the red brother took over  
"Well that's how it is for the others at least." the lightning sibling added"As for us, we could only wound each other, neither able to take control of our body..."  
"Yet unable to separate as we were born to be one." the red one completed

"So we're battling to this day, knowing that the only way for one of us to be free is to kill the other." the lightning sibling concluded with a shrug  
"That's sad." one of the orphan that were gathered behind their protector affirmed  
The little youkai, probably some kind of canine given the black tail in his back, was holding protectively a smaller child in his arms – Kenshin and Isamu were kuro inu and brothers, and had been collected but a few days before, Ryoichi remembered.  
While usually calm and collected, Kenshin, the elder, had been nearly feral when they'd found him, having spent the months since his parents' death on the run, protecting his younger sibling from the youkai who would see young orphaned daiyoukai as an easy prey.

And powerful they would be – for while both were over their first grow spur, with Kenshin, looking to be around nine year old nearing his second one, Isamu looked barely older than four, and once properly fed and rested, it was soon evident that the pup had the potential to grow up to be a force to be reckoned with.  
Still – for those two brothers, seeing the two youkai fighting like that was rather unthinkable.  
"That's the lot we were given." the red youkai shrugged "It's not as if we hate each other, you know. We were just born to fight, Ginka and I."  
"If I killed Kinka, or if he killed me right now," the other agreed "we wouldn't resent the other." a shrug "This is how we live."

¤.¤.¤

"And if you could be separated without one dying?" Ryoichi asked "Would you do it?"  
The two siblings shared a glance – neither lowering their weapons – before answering together "We don't want people to interfere in our fight."  
"I know of another youkai specy just like yours. Except that neither need to kill the other." Ryoichi explained, not contradicting them - their relation may be one of violence, it was still their own

"How is it possible?"  
"There is an unbreakable bond between siblings," Ryoichi explained "but a skillful healer can cut the two separate at birth." a shrug "Between the high regeneration us youkai benefit from and appropriate care, they grow up just fine but apparently their physical bond may be broken, the mental one never is."  
"Meaning?" Shinobu was the one to ask

"When a pair of those youkai fight together, you better not be on the other side." Ryoichi laughed – remembering his first meeting with a water orochi and her wind orochi twin – that had been one fight to remember "They can share thoughts as fast as if they were of one mind, feel when the other is in trouble. They never hamper each other on the battlefield, and are always where other need them."  
"Sounds like you fought one. Er, two."

"Umiko and Kazeko were fearsome opponents." he admitted easily  
"While that sounds good..." Kinka admitted wistfully  
"I don't see what it has got to do with us..." his brother added on the same tone

"Ryoichi-sama is a healer." Shinobu stated  
"And an assassin!" one young youkai added, probably still on the earlier lesson  
"That too." the hanyou nodded, used by now to the children "But right now, I think he's offering to help you."

"Why?" a wary youkai asked  
"What good would it do for you?" the other added just as leery  
"See!" Kurama crowed in triumph "I told you normal people don't just travel around the countryside gather orphans and helping people all around! That's just weird!"  
The loud affirmation was soon followed by a surprised yelp as one of the younger child had managed to slip past Shinobu to resolutely kick the youko in the shin.

"Ryo-sama isn't weird! You're weird!" the small earth sprite bit out, the leaves that replaced hair bristling around his head while he frowned at the youko  
Ryoichi wondered if the orphans weren't becoming a bit too attached to him – then turning his attention back to the two "If you really need a reason... The two of you not destroying everything around you would be one." he stated , before adding with a shrug "Beside, I've got six little brothers and sisters. I know siblings aren't supposed to kill each other."

"You aren't going to be bone tired for days again if you heal them?" Shinobu checked discreetly with the leader of their group "Because I may not be a healer, I'm rather sure this isn't good for you."  
"What I used last time was dangerous." the kitsune admitted "But I haven't lied to them, what I'm talking about is rather simple if you know what to do. It's just that since they're both already adult it will be both easier as they already have separate bodies, and harder because the power held in their blood has never been shown how to work in another way than biding them together. It will hurts badly..."  
The brothers, that had spied shamelessly on the talk, shared a glance – thinking, perhaps for the first time in their life, about a life without the other yet no death included.

"Let's try this."  
The two brothers took the group back to their den, and after eyeing them dubiously, Shinobu was the one to unceremoniously drop a young youkai in each brother's arms.  
"Here. If you've got something in your arms you won't just accidentally forget and try to start a new fight while Ryoichi-dono's working."  
After that, the two brothers – and Shinobu who was listening attentively nearby while keeping the children busy by advancing the daily lesson usually held on the evening - - turned their attention toward the kitsune.

Soon, the children were busy scribbling their kana and kanji in the dirt while Ryoichi started to explain, as precisely as he could, the procedure used on new-born orochi.  
"Why are you saying that to us?" Ginka wondered after a while  
"After all you said it would be different for us adults." Kinka completed  
"So that when you decide to have children, they don't have to kill each other or go through your ordeal. I'll be leaving you notes about it too, feel free to share this healing method with other orochi if you want."

After that, the two brother became more attentive, trying to commit to memory all that Ryoichi was saying – and the kitsune himself clearly trying to simplify all the medical jargon out in order to give out a method clear enough that anyone could do it.  
By the time he was ready to operate on the two brothers, neither was surprised when with a quick slash he wounded both to start scribbling the Chinese pictograms most youkai used for youjutsu.

"Most ancient language could be used." he explained while working "As long as the inner meaning is preserved. Here I'm using this one to symbolize the separation between two people, that one is to impress that ties of blood can be mental just as well as physical and the third is for you to keep your individuality. Don't forget it!" he warned "Otherwise the mind-bond you'd create would be even worse for the siblings than the physical bond between the two of you."

Eyes widening, the two brothers nodded hurriedly – they could imagine easily enough how bad that could be...  
"This will hurt." Ryoichi reminded them as he channeled youki in the two wards he'd just written with their blood

Sure enough – as each ward illuminated, Kinka's whole body was irresistibly dragged toward one – Ginka's toward the other.  
During what seemed like an eternity, the two felt like their body were being wrenched, blood boiling and lightning coursing through their veins. And suddenly – mercifully – it was over, each brother painfully dragging himself upward and realizing with wide eyes that indeed...  
They weren't together anymore.

But the hint of loneliness the idea made them feel was soon washed away as both realized at the same time – that in the far reaches of their mind, close enough to be soothing, far enough not to be annoying, they could feel a familiar presence.

 **[Hidden Quest Complete! Ouroboros...**  
 _You've taught the Elemental Orochi a new way of saving their young, they in turn will teach their children, until the method passed down through the ages makes its way back to you_  
 **Reward:** +100XP, +1 Tail Perk]

Ryoichi had to laugh, as Chaos Interface confirmed what he'd been wondering about all along – the method he was teaching Ginka and Kinka would be taught by the two of them to their children, and passed down from generation to generation.  
Until two sisters granted him the knowledge, something rather rare outside of the clan, as repayment of a life-debt they owned him.  
Talk about a snake biting its own tail...

The day nearing its end, they stayed for the nigh – and by the time they left the next morning, each brother had already gone his own way, itching to finally be rid of the other and learn to live.  
Ryoichi smiled as they went on their way too. Knowing how he did the elemental orochi, he was rather certain they'd end up living side by side again.

A bond that strong could be changed, but never broken after all.


	14. Game On 30 XIII Ryukossei

Hi! Here we go again!  
Someone pointed out that it one year since I've starte this story so happy birthday Tsukiko!

I've been told that the fight scene are "meh" and to be honest - that's kind of my weak point so I wasn't too surprised. Since the pack are numerous, I try to put in a bit about everyone - because in the original story it was often everyone just standing around and watching InuYasha fight.

* * *

 **XIII. October 1996 Ryukossei**

The pack, now on its way toward the cliff where Ryukossei was sealed, had finally had enough time to talk about their latest pack level gain – and more importantly the Tail Perk all had unlocked thanks to that.

InuYasha was wavering between **Poison** **Fang,** which he had already admitted to avoid earlier because he wanted to gain Sesshoumaru's approval on his own power – something he had now achieved - and using the **Pack** **Symbiosis** to unlock an elemental manipulation that would hopefully still be available on the new moon.  
Finally, after wondering about it quite a bit, the hanyou took the second option, and unlocked **air** **manipulation** – something that surprised the pack for all of five seconds before they remembered that thanks to his training with Tessaiga to master the Kaze no Kizu, he already knew quite a bit about that element.  
That and the fact, even if he wouldn't admit it, that having been unable to cut the Kaze no Kizu against Kagura had vexed him – even though it was quite normal, as the woman was a wind spirit...

Shippou hadn't needed too long to settle on the **Sun** **Child** perk he'd inherited from his father, and was already planning ways to use the new-gained **light** **manipulation** with his shape-shifting aptitudes.

Sango, similarly, had made her choice quickly, deciding that since she was the last one without any elemental manipulation. **Pack** **Symbiosis** it was – and with it **lightning** **manipulation** , something that didn't bode well for poor Miroku's wandering hands...

Kagome realized, to her surprise, that the description of **Pack** **Symbiosis** the other seemed to share had changed for her – but was swiftly reassured by Tsukiko, who reminded her that her own perk didn't have anything to do with elemental manipulation either, perhaps because they had both already unlocked one element without the perk's help.

 **[- Pack Symbiosis:** even your soul can learn from your pack mates, and just like your alpha you hold a large soul and reiki, with this perk you will you further follow her example by becoming a **Youkai Miko** (youkai specy to be chosen)

 _note that the yearly powers from your inheritances and miko abilities will become decennial as a youkai]_

Even Tsukiko had been surprised at the perk – but even more surprising maybe had been her childhood friend's answer when she asked whether she'd take it.  
"Not right now."  
"So... you mean you'll take it eventually?"  
A nod, then Kagome announced "I remember you know. That your first time seeing InuYasha was when he came out of the well." her eyes were calm as she announced "Your place is in the future once my quest is over, but I was taken to this era for a reason."

"You mean to stay." Tsukiko realized, eyes widening - she hadn't expected that  
"I will stay." Kagome nodded "And while my reiki would probably give me the life-spawn needed to live through time back to our era... I will need the additional powers that being a youkai will grant me." a smile "You know me, I don't like to fight needlessly. But thanks to you, I've learned to fight to protect what is precious to me."  
Tsukiko smiled warmly, proud of the girl she'd seen grow and change so much in the past ten years "Then I'll wait for you in the future." she promised

And so, the Tail perk was put to the side for now – and Kagome unlocked the **Shrine** **Maiden** perk which not only doubled the rate at which she learned about about wards and ritual but also, thanks to her **Youkai** **Touch** let interact with their youkai equivalent and eventually learn to adapt them to her own reiki...

Miroku was the next surprise, as the houshi had unlocked new perks when he'd became a part of Shadow's following – and the three perks **Soul** **Whisperer** , **Blood** **Singing** and **Shadow** **Walking** were of course each derived from the alpha own holy powers.

The soul power attuned his slowly improving **Soul Sense,** making him able to hear the recently departed, and would, as his grasp on the power improved, eventually let him talk freely o the dead that hadn't been gone for too long or were still lingering.  
The blood power wasn't any less powerful, as from a simple power boost to all his written-based abilities when using blood (his or someone else's) it eventually granted him the ability to use any written-based ability, be they deriving from his own reiki, or needing any other energy like youki, magic and even alchemy...  
As for the third power, it gave the abilities of both a shadow blender and a shadow traveler, meaning it gave both a nearly perfect way of hiding and a range-less way of travel. Of course, here too, training was necessary – at first a shadow blender still needed to be discreet, only helped by the shadows, while a fully trained one could simply stand still and disappear, or stay hidden when slipping from one shadow to the other where no normal person could have done the same; on the same account a young shadow traveler couldn't go too far or stay in the shadows too long while an accomplished one could disappear in a shadow in japan and step out the next moment at the other side of the globe...

While as a priest it was the soul power that called to him the most, as he could already see its uses to help lingering souls, grant last wishes and so on – he knew that right now, against Naraku, in was one of the other powers that would be more useful.  
As such, the priest unlocked the **Shadow Walker** perk.

Finally, Tsukiko's choice wasn't any easier.  
She was tempted to give in and get **Pack Symbiosis** to get the same shape-shifting abilities as Shippou – while it would just be for fun right now, it could become useful in a later incarnation as it changed her **Past** **Life** perk itself. The **Dying** **Will** perk was interesting too – not only in that it eventually opened up the option of magic, but that she knew well about the impressive powers Flame could produce.  
But unlocking a power she had already learned in a previous life seemed a bit redundant, and so she was still hesitating.  
The **Youkai** **Miko** perk while not uninteresting in the future had no real interest right now, as she already had all the abilities of a Miko – it would only grant her a CP boost, which while never useless wasn't necessary at the moment.

¤.¤.¤

The ookami didn't have the time to make her choice – as all youkai of the pack suddenly turned toward the East, where a familiar scent was approaching fast.  
Within minutes, Kouga appeared, two other tribe youkai and half a dozen of wolves by his side.  
"Hime-chan, Kagome-chan!"  
"And what are we, chopped liver?" InuYasha grumbled without any real heat

"Kouga-kun." Tsukiko smiled nodding toward the new addition to his face "Congratulation."  
"It's thanks to you." he commented, before turning toward the two youkai behind him "Those are Ginta and Hakkaku, from my den." a smile "They took the trial with me."  
"And now you are pack." Kagome completed with a smile "But didn't you plan on taking over from your father?" she wondered  
"When I came back to the den, with news about Naraku and stating my intention, we talked about it..." a sigh "It's difficult to travel around as a large pack, and between the pups and the elder, not all of us are in any state to fight."

"And the Lord of the East sent word too about Naraku while Kouga wasn't there." Ginta added "So the warriors are upping their training to be ready to protect the dens."  
"But I still wanted o go after the bastard." Kouga admitted easily "So I announced that I'd take the trial but stay as a lone wolf until the bastard was dead."  
"But we couldn't leave Kouga alone, could we?" Hakkaku was the one to protest "He'd forget to rest and eat!"  
Tsukiko laughed at the indignant affirmation "Seems like you know each other well."  
"Our mum gave birth around the same time," Kouga admitted, blushing a bit " so we grew up together."

"Just like Tsuki-chan is my childhood friend!" Kagome compared enthusiastically "Even though... With the age difference between youkai and humans, I guess even ojii-chan is your childhood friend?" she added bemusedly  
"You could say that." Tsukiko laughed - she had been barely fifty when she met the priest after all, before letting her usual hold on her powers unraveling, youki and reiki swirling gently around her pack – then taking hold of Kouga's pack too  
The wolf smiled – and if his display of power was less impressive that hers, all could still feel his own youki mingle in harmony as both alpha marked the other pack as an ally.

 **[Political system** updated!  
 **Tsume's** **Pack** _(wolf-tribe pack, LV1)_ has been added as Shadow Pack sibling's pack: +100XP  
 **Kouga** _(alpha, LV121)_  
 **Ginta** _(beta, LV47)_  
 **Hakkaku** _(pack member, LV45)_  
 **wolf** **youkai** _(pack beast member, LV19, LV21, LV27, LV32, LV33, LV34)_

 _note that sibling packs share their all pack's bonus except the insignia bonus, but each bonus progress isn't transferred over to the other pack_ ]

 **[Shadow** **Pack** gains:  
Alpha Sibling (1/10): +3 Agility  
Beta Sibling (1/10): +1 Agility  
LV1 pack sibling (1/10): +1 YP/RP/KP regeneration rate per minute]

 **[Tsume** **Pack** gains:  
Alpha Sibling(1/10): +3 Agility  
Beta Sibling (1/10): +1 Endurance  
LV5 pack sibling(1/10): +1 HP regeneration rate per minute  
+5 spiritual resistance  
+5 Synergy  
+5 physical resistance  
+1 Tail Perk]

While Kouga's pack didn't have the help of Chaos Interface to see the changes – they still could all feel the feeling of new power given by the sibling-pack bond.  
"I feel like we've got the better end of the deal!" the young alpha couldn't help but point out  
"Then you just have to grow as pack." Tsukiko smiled "beside, it's not for the power we did this."  
"You're right." Kouga smiled – but whatever he had been about to had was swiftly forgotten as all the youkai suddenly caught a new scent on the wind

"Naraku." InuYasha was the first to snarl  
"Learn this scent." Kouga instructed to his pack, as all rushed in the direction it was coming from "He's the one that killed our brothers."  
Soon, they were in front of a grimly familiar figure clad in a white baboon pelt, propped on a skeletal-horse hauling a wagon on which a large metallic cage was hidden by a large piece of fabric.  
But the scent, Kouga realized with a bit of confusion, wasn't coming from that silhouette but the cage behind him.

"A kugutsu." Miroku was the first to confirm "A rather elaborate one at that, seems like Naraku hasn't been idle..."  
While Ginta and Hakkaku were being explained by Shippou just what were the wooden puppets used by Naraku, the evil hanyou was laughing creepily "Kukuku, both InuYasha's band of misfits and the annoying wolf, my, what a treat for my fourth children!"  
A snap of chain, and the cage was opened.  
"Come out, Juuromaru!"

The rather effeminate silhouette that stepped out of its prison would have looked like a young noble with his elaborate clothes – but the feral way the youkai held himself, nearly crouched to the ground, and the chains and halter used to keep him in check quickly shattered the illusion.

"Tch. You're growing more creepy each time we see you!" InuYasha was the one to bark "What kind of degenerate uses fucking chains on his own children?"  
"How rude, telling me how to raise my own children!" the voice grew colder "But then again I guess I shouldn't have expected any better from kidnappers." despite the pelt on his back, all could tell the icy glare was pointed at a quivering Kanna

Stepping protectively in front of their youngest pack-mate, Shippou was the one to answer "What we did was rescue, not kidnapping, you bastard!"  
"Bah, there's no reasoning with riffraff." the puppet sneered dismissively at the kit's answer "I'm breaking the seal Juuromaru. Fight to your hearts' content!"  
With a surge of power, chains and halter clattered to the ground, and youki swirled aggressively against the youkai's form.  
The attack that followed was so swift most couldn't even see it...  
"Trying to kill their own father, my children sure love to misbehave." the puppet chuckled as it fell to the ground, cleanly cut in pieces

Blank face and drool dripping from his mouth, Juuromaru turned toward the two packs.  
The next attack was just as swift, and Miroku barely had time to erect a protecting wall of water – and even like that, and despite the holy power burning the youkai's hands as he clawed at the wall, his protection was clearly falling. Sango threw her boomerang – taking the heat off the houshi, but her Hiraikotsu was easily thrown back at her, large claw mark visible on its surface.  
The pack shared worried glances.

This new spawn made Goshinki look slow, and while his attack didn't have the weight behind them the third spawn had had, they were dangerously sharp, as the marks on Sango's trusted weapon attested – and none of them had forgotten that it wasn't them, but their alpha that had dealt with the previous enemy.  
"He's just as fast as Kouga." Ginta commented in disbelief as the youkai was now rushing toward InuYasha  
Tsukiko eyed the situation worriedly.  
Just like the rest of her pack, she remembered that she had been the one to finish off Goshinki – and that wasn't something she intended to do too often, as they well-knew – regardless, if it was needed she would act...

Right now, Sango was too slow, and not powerful enough to act – even if she had been able to enhance Hiraikotsu with her new element, it hadn't even made the youkai pause; Miroku was already regrouping with Kagome, both clearly intent on putting up a barrier to protect those who couldn't fight.  
Kouga's pack mate, youkai they maybe, were even less powerful than Sango even if they had superior reflexes and regeneration. As such they were soon coaxed within the barrier by Kagome, even if they were eyeing the watery wall brimming with light and reiki dubiously, still wary of the holy energy.  
The fight, it seemed, would be left to Kouga and InuYasha.

"I don't like that." Shippou protested "It looks like we're all hiding while the two of them are fighting in our place."  
"As loathe as I am to admit it," Miroku sighed "right now we'd only be in the way."  
"And Sango may be hidding it rather well, but I'm sure getting hit by Hiraikotsu hurt." Kagome added "It is a weapon made to fight youkai after all."  
Seeing she hadn't been able too fool their main healer, Sango winced, admitting " My armor is reinforced too, so I'll be alright, but I'm in for some nasty bruises, and I'd better take it easy for a few days."

Meanwhile, Kouga and InuYasha were fighting side by side, loudly insulting both their enemy and each other – silently thankful for the few days spent hunting together which had helped them learn to fight together.  
It was because of those days too, that Kouga soon realized "Tch. What's the deal with you, mutt? Your sword is so slow I'm falling asleep!"  
"Bah, what's it too you wimpy wolf!" InuYasha retorted while dodging an attack – barely, once more, claws grazing at the sleeve of his haori

His eyes widened, as he realized that he should have clearly escaped that attack.  
It was – as if the arm of the youkai had extended... Was the enemy a shape-shifter?  
The next few attack contradicted that, making him wonder.  
Then Juuromaru, who'd been quietly drooling up until them spit a large glob of poisonous mist at the two of them, and InuYasha realized a second too late what was going on.

The youkai hadn't been shape-shifting, but another youkai had been – after all Naraku had indeed used plural when the puppet had been killed!  
The attack coming would be lethal for Kouga, who was turning his back to the unknown danger – so the hanyou jumped, pushing the young wolf out of the way and taking the attack in his stead, making Kagome yell out in worry.  
Even Kouga looked worried, the hanyou noted distantly. But then again, he clearly musn't look too good, the annoying youkai had clearly bitten trough his side...

"Kukuku, that was pretty tasty." the new youkai commented, licking his lips "I'll aim for the heart next!"  
"Gross!" Shippou commented from behind the reiki barrier as he took in the next enemy's appearance  
The face was nearly the same as Juuromaru – but were the other had a blank look, this youkai looked clearly malicious. That face was also the only human looking part of the youkai, as it was on top of a tentacle like body with two claws instead of arms.

"I'm Kageroumaru," the new youkai introduced himself "and I was sleeping in Juuromaru's stomach."  
"Hm. So that halter was to keep you inside then." Miroku speculated calmly  
"Indeed." a savage smirk "After all, Juuromaru obeys nobody but me!" now shouting, he jumped into action "Now lets dispatch those two, Juuromaru, then we'll take care of the rest. We'll even do Naraku a favor and take care of that little miko he's so afraid of!"

 **[Goal complete!** +25XP  
 **Goal update:** learn more about Naraku's next children]

The fight wasn't going well for InuYasha and Kouga – weakened by his wound, the hanyou was even slower than before. Still, slowly but surely, Kouga was fastening, picking the slack.  
Worried for her uncle, Tsukiko put a hand on her blade, ready to step in.  
"Don't."

Surprised, she turned – while the injunction had come from the hanyou, the hand on her own was Sango's. With that, the tajiya snatched a small container from her **Inventory** and turned toward Kagome "Lend me your bow."  
The weapon was soon thrown her way, and the tajiya was dabbing a few arrows in the mixture.  
"I'm a youkai hunter." she reminded both herself and the rest of her pack "I'm used to fight as a disadvantage." she added, eyes hard and glinting - after all all none of them liked anymore than Shippou that they couldn't help their beta  
BUt she could help, after all - even if not by fighting directly. So focusing on the unfamilar weapon, she drew the string - and while her aim wasn't all that great, it was more than enough.

Where each of the three arrows fired landed, the ground started to darken, and Kageroumaru, who'd been hiding under the ground between each attack, making his attacks even more difficult to predict, was soon rushing out.  
"This is a poison used against underground youkai." Sango commented with a satisfied smile "It's rather powerful but doesn't last too long."  
InuYasha, weakened as he was, had managed to take advantage of the attack, cutting clean one of Kageroumaru's claw as he had fled the ground – the youkai had replied by digging his remaining claw deep in Kouga's thigh before disappearing once more...  
"Where did he disappear?" Shippou wondered, unknowingly echoing his beta's thought

Fortunately – both Kouga and InuYasha came to the answer at the same time.  
Both side-stepping Juuromaru's claws, they rushed toward him, Kouga ducking low, claws digging in the youkai's leg and making him falter for a moment, even while his claws dug into the wolf-tribe alpha's shoulder.  
But that moment had been all InuYasha needed, and when Tessaiga was swung, gust of winds tore through both Juuromaru and Kageroumaru, that had been hiding back inside the other's body.

¤.¤.¤

Kouga and InuYasha dropped to the ground, and Kagome rushed toward them, the rest of the packs not far behind. The two pack were soon settling not too far away, the miko healing the hanyou as he'd been hurt the worst while Tsukiko was taking care of Kouga, then Sango.  
"Well, those two confirmed something I'd been wondering about ever since we saved Kanna..." Tsukiko commented  
"Naraku is targeting Kagome-chan." Sango completed  
"Kageroumaru went as far as state that he was afraid of her." Miroku remarked "What did happen in the shirou?"  
"Nothing that would cause this sort of reaction." Kagome protested "I mean, he did start to act weirdly all of a sudden, but I don't know anymore about it!"

"Feh. It's not Kagome he's afraid of." InuYasha was the one to comment "Its Kikyou."  
"Oh. Because I hadn't been the one fighting him one on one before, he hadn't realized I was her reincarnation before you mean!" Kagome exclaimed, eyes widening in understanding  
"But why would he be afraid of Kikyou?" Shippou wondered "After all, he won against her didn't he? His machinations caused her death and InuYasha's sealing..."  
The pack though about it silently – the kit had a point after all.

"Bah, let's just ask Kaede-obaa-san the next time we're home." InuYasha finally stated with an annoyed sigh "It's not as if we can just divine the answer!"  
With that, the matter was dropped, and the two pack spent the evening recovering from the fight while chatting – methods to train Ginta and Hakkaku were suggested, making the two wolves whiten and whimper in dread.  
No wonder their alpha had grown so much stronger in just a few days if these were the "light" suggestions!

But at the same time – they had been just as frustrated as the humans, stuck behind this barrier while their alpha fought with the hanyou, yet knowing that they were too weak right now, would have been just liability for Kouga if they'd tried to fight with him... So if the hellish training Shadow's pack was so casually suggesting could help – they'd suffer a bit, because as much as an alpha was supposed to care for his pack, it was also the pack's duty to support it's alpha.  
"Still," Kouga eventually asked again "What _was_ up with your sword? Usually you're waving it around like a loon!"  
"We met two more children of Naraku while you were on your Trial." Kagome answered "The first was stuck in her own mind and could be saved from him."

At that, Kouga glanced toward the white-haired little youkai, who hid a bit behind Shippou - but there wasn't any ill intent in his eyes. Between what he'd heard and seen from the evil hanyou, and the young youkai demeanor, it wasn't hard to guess she'd been mistreated by Naraku – her own father! As a wolf youkai, Kouga was naturally pack and family oriented, so the simple idea of hurting one's own child was nauseating...

"The other on the contrary was purely evil." Miroku took over "He could read mind, and wasn't a bad fighter either. Within minutes, he'd managed to hurt all of us and had nearly bitten through Tessaiga when Tsukiko stepped in."  
The affirmation took the young alpha by surprise – biting through Tessaiga? Even today's opponents, as swift and deadly as they had been, hadn't been able to damage the blade!  
"We went to Totosai to have it repaired," Sango took over "but since he used InuYasha's fang as a filler, he now has to prove his own strength to the blade."

Kouga nodded – while coming of age weapon were more a daiyoukai thing, as normal youkai didn't have the wealth nor the need for it, he knew the basis of it, and as he'd already learned that Tessaiga had been forged from the hanyou's father fang while they were training together. As such, it was rather easy to put his knowledge together and understand why the link between the weapon and its handler had changed.  
What had been the hanyou's inheritance was now becoming his own...

"So what are you going to do about it?" he asked "it's not like you can go after Naraku when you're so slow?" he asked – taunt clear to be heard, but a hint of worry too  
"Tch. That's where we were heading when that bastard fucking interfered with his twin annoyances." InuYasha grumbled back  
"We're going hunting." Tsukiko explained "According to Totosai, slaying the youkai that managed to defeat oji-san's father would make the blade aknowledge him."  
"But if it slained the Inu no Taishou..." Kouga didn't finish his sentence, not seeing the point  
"Then right now, oji-san doesn't stand a chance." ignoring the protest that affirmation provoked she went on "Against a Ryukossei at full-power, even I wouldn't stand a chance."

That affirmation put a stop to the hanyou's recrimination – and made the pack realize just what kind of foe they were going after.  
"But as long as Tessaiga taste the dragon's blood, I can fight with with oji-san, as his alpha." the wolf hime reminded "Had he been an alpha already, the problem would have been different..." she added, not seeing her beta stumble at the clear profession of her belief he'd wouldn't always be so "And he won't be at full power, after all he's been sealed for more than two centuries, and was injured too in that fight."  
"Technically," Myouga stated – making the pack suddenly remember the tick was with them "InuYasha just has to cut Ryukossei, not fight him. Awakening him is not only useless but not recommended."

"While I understand your concern, Myouga-san," Tsukiko gently corrected "that kind of fight wouldn't be one the House of Moon could be proud of."  
The tick sighed but didn't protest.  
As a small youkai, his mind-set was clearly aimed at survival, and with the decades and centuries spent far from the ruling House of the West after the Inu no Taishou's death, he'd nearly forgotten – that the House of Moon was a House of carnivorous daiyoukai, whose way of thinking was drastically different from his own.  
And that InuYasha, all hanyou that he was, was clearly one of them.

The next morning, the two pack went on their way amicably – Kouga's still sniffing after Naraku's lair, while Tsukiko's was heading toward the coast, and the cliff where the ryu daiyoukai was sealed.

¤.¤.¤

Embedded into the cliff, the form of the dragon was unmistakable – Ryukossei had large body covered in steel-hard scales, long antlers each on a side of a noh mask, and a long white mane. In the middle of the dragon's chest, a large claw was embedded and acting like a seal.  
Leaving the rest of their pack on another nearby cliff, Padfoot turned into his larger form and signaled the hanyou to hop on.

"I thought only Tsuki-chan could fight with him?" Shippou pointed out as the three closed on the dragon  
"Padfoot's life is so powerfully entwined with Tsukiko's that they cannot be considered as two different people." Miroku explained "Just like if I was to fight in a similar battle, Shingetsu would come with me."

The trio was soon stepping on the large claw, Tsukiko getting on her knees – and at the power radiating around her, InuYasha knew that if the ookami was to open her eyes, they would be green and echoing with unearthly powers.  
As if answering her untold prayers, a few chips of bone flew out of the large claw and were swiftly pocketed by the hime, who then left her holy powers simmer down and flared her youki, poison dripping from her claws and soon starting to eat away at the seal.

 **[Challenge LV150! Surpassing your Ancestors...  
Goal: **defeat Ryukossei  
 **Bonus goal:** unlock Tessaiga's ougi  
 **Reward:** +50XP, Tessaiga is upgraded upon completion  
 **Bonus Reward:** +100XP, **The** **Great** **Dog's** **Approval** (+10 to an Awareness skill to be chosen) Perk unlocked upon completion]

Uncle and niece shared a glance, and jumped backward as with a great rumble, the claw crumbled into pieces, and great red eyes opened.  
"So who are the fools who dared awaken me?" the daiyoukai wondered, soon finding the trio and staring at them "Ah. I recognize this youki and the moon on your brow child. I must have slept quite a while if the brat has reproduced..." his eyes turned to InuYasha "And the hanyou too bear the same scent. I was told Toga had taken with a human, but to see it was true..."  
Ruffling scales and mane, he broke free of the cliff, getting rid in the same move of the vegetation and other rocks stuck to him.

"So, are you here to avenge Toga?" he wondered  
"Bah, who'd have any time to waste with vengeance!" InuYasha contradicted, drawing Tessaiga "No, I'm here to surpass oyaji!"  
The daiyoukai laugh rumbled through his body, making even the sea above which they were standing foam "You've got guts for a hanyou!" turning toward Tsukiko "And you? Will you fight me too, even thought you're not even in your true form?"  
"I wasn't about to let my beta get all the fun." Tsukiko bantered, before adding with a careless shrug "Beside I'm not stupid enough to try and take you on in my true form."

The dragon laughed once more – given how old she felt, the pup was right after all, even if she was powerful on her own merit, mastering ones abilities in your true form was something that took decades, or even centuries to master...  
With that, InuYasha and Tsukiko were jumping toward Ryukossei, just as the dragon was sending a blast of power toward them. The daiyoukai didn't even bother avoiding their attack – the reason why soon becoming apparent as Tessaiga simply bounced on the scales.

"Bah! I can't believe you came claiming to want to beat me when your sword is so dull it can't even cut me!" the dragon taunted  
While he sent another attack at InuYasha, this one barely avoided, the face on the Noh Mask embedded between the ryu's two antler eyed the young alpha who had landed near him yet wasn't attacking.  
"Why aren't you helping your beta, young ookami?"  
"If he's in danger, I'll help." the hime assured him "But this fight is for him to improve, not simply for my fun."

"You seem very sure you'd win."  
"You want to die." Tsukiko stated simply "This is why oji-san stands a chance even alone, and why I would win. You won't let yourself die to the claws of an unworthy adversary, but you do want to die..."  
The Noh Mask, that had been surprisingly expressive up until now, froze.

And finally, Ryukossei did what he should have from the start, but had forgone once he'd realize the two in front of him were related to the Inu no Taishou – to Toga, the daiyoukai that had come the closest to a friend in the last few millennia, the man who'd come the closest to breaking his curse by putting another one on him - and once analyzing the hime's aura, soon came to the rather evident realization...

"Do you want me to unseal your other form?"  
"Don't, little goddess, or you'll really loose your beta."  
"I wouldn't let you do that." she reminded – tone light, eyes deadly serious  
"Still. Let him fight me as I am right now, as Toga did before him, and countless others..." the ryu persisted in his contradiction

"Alright then." Tsukiko nodded, before jumping down, landing beside a battered hanyou "Feh. Had a good chat?" InuYasha teased, not unkindly – he knew the young wolf well enough to understand what her staying back meant  
"As he is right now, you can beat him." Tsukiko stated "You just have to remember why you took up Tessaiga."

Tsukiko wasn't someone who talked needlessly – so even as he stood up once more to face the dragon, InuYasha wondered.  
Right now, he was fighting to win back the ability to wield his blade – but at first, he hadn't even really wanted to have Tessaiga, he'd taken it only because it was a memento from the father he hadn't know.  
Yet, that hadn't been good enough for the blade at that time, he remembered – Tessaiga had been unsealed only when he'd decided to protect Kagome with it.

The hanyou's eyes lit up in understanding, and this time he avoided fully the attack coming at him.  
"Feh. I'm sorry." he said at the ryu daiyoukai, not noticing the glimmer of interest in the large red eyes "I haven't been fighting you as I should have."  
"Finally understood what made that blade so dull, pup?"  
"It wasn't the blade that was dull, wasn't it?" he countered rhetorically "It was me. My resolve was dulled, and I took her for granted, so Tessaiga taught me a lesson."

"Well tell me then!" the dragon all but demanded – and so caught up in his realization he was, the hanyou didn't stop to wonder about why an enemy, one supposedly interested only in blood and carnage, seemed so interested in his opinion  
"I already have claws to fight. Tessaiga may be a cutting sword, she isn't a blade to be wielded mindlessly. She accepted me as a wielder because I'm a protector..." a smile "Back then it was only Kagome, because the bastard's daughter sure as hell didn't need me." the smile softened yet became more determined "But I'm the beta of our pack now, and have so much more people to protect that I became stuck on the idea of growing stronger once more."

He pointed Tessaiga toward Ryukossei once more, not immediately realizing the blade had lightened "I'm not fight you to surpass oyaji in order to become stronger. I'm fighting you to surpass oyaji because I want to be better than him. I'm greedy, I don't only want to protect people, I also want to survive and be happy with them after!"  
"Then prove your resolve!" the dragon roared

InuYasha jumped – right into the largest attack send his way by the daiyoukai – an attack way too large to be avoided, not that it mattered as he had no intention to. The Kaze no Kizu winds were humming around his blade, and the youki around him was so potent, there was but one way to go on.  
The attack that was unleashed made the Kaze no Kizu look like child play, Tsukiko mused with a proud smile – still, as the dragon's body was torn to pieces, she darted among the raging youki, grabbing the Noh Mask before it could be broken.

 **[Challenge LV150 Complete!**  
 **Reward:** +50XP, Tessaiga is upgraded upon completion  
 **Bonus Reward:** (100+50)XP, **The** **Great** **Dog's** **Approval** (+10 to an Awareness skill to be chosen) Perk unlocked upon completion]

[ **Tessaiga** (inheritance blade, LV131) evolve into **Tessaiga** (coming of age weapon, LV1)]

 **[Level up!** Tessaiga is now level 131!  
+42 St, +270 damage, +27 Air damage, +2 Enhancement Space]  
 **[Tessaiga E** **nhancement** update:  
 **Inu no Taishou's Protection** _(empowered, LV100)_ **:** +1000HP  
 **Tessaiga's Chosen Wielder** _(empowered, LV100)_ **:** +1000YP  
 _(empty space)_  
 _(empty space)_  
You currently have 4 **unused** **Stones:**  
 **Gokurachu-chou Crystallized Feather** _(attuned, LV100)_ **:** +20 Air damage  
 **Black Pearl Sliver** _(empowered, LV100)_ **:** +100 Blood Drain  
 **Peach's Core** _(normal, LV100)_ **:** +5 Health Regeneration per minute  
 **Solidified** **Poison** _(normal, LV100)_ **:** +10 Poison damage per second, lasts 5 seconds]

¤.¤.¤

Youki and reiki worked together to unweave the curse set on the mask – and as gigantic slabs of rock continued to rain around her, Tsukiko barely felt her uncle and Padfoot find her in the middle of the storm, the Grimm lugubrious howl helping her own gifts, and finally light took the mask, nearly blinding them, and a human silhouette appeared in front of them.  
"I told you not to bother." the man wearing an outdated but clearly Chinese nobility outfit pointed out, yet not sounding regretful  
"You told me to let oji-san fight you just like ojii-sama fought you before." Tsukiko corrected the man

Taking in the wild white mane, ruby red eyes, but more importantly the antlers crowning his face and the familiar green sheen of his outfit it wasn't hard to guess at the youkai identity.  
"Why save me?" Ryukossei wondered – and InuYasha too, even if knowing Tsukiko she must have had her reason  
"You were ready to die before." Tsukiko reiterated "But not when the fight ended." she added softly

"It may have been my last chance at dying."  
"You know better." she laughed "Find me as long as I'm alive, and if you want to die, I'll oblige. But now that the curse is lifted, you may be the most powerful daiyoukai alive, you won't be unable to die should you chose to."  
"Curse?" InuYasha asked  
"It the first time I've been able to take this form in nearly six thousand years." Ryukossei stated "And the first time I can feel things again in just as long." he added – and InuYasha suddenly understood better just why the old daiyoukai was walking bare-feet in the sand, letting the water play with his feet like a child would

The trio and the dragon walked slowly toward the cliff where the rest of Shadow's pack was waiting for them – the elder daiyoukai sharing part of his story as they strolled.

 _ **(flashback start)**_  
Dragon youkai weren't usual by any mean, and even all those millennia ago there hadn't been a lot of them, and most of them lived hidden in high mountains, secluded from the rest of the word, deep in the continent.

The humans revered them, contrarily to a lot of other youkai they feared, and as such they had been neither surprised nor particularly suspicious when a man arrived at the gates of their retreat.

The rather young human was polite, and after several discussions that lasted as long as a few months, was given the right to live among them. For years and decades, he lived among them, and even fell in love with a young dragoness that had been until then promised to Ryukossei – who of course went by another name at the time.  
And while he didn't mind breaking their engagement, as he had felt little but brotherly love for the young daiyoukai he'd know since her birth, Ryukossei had been one of the last among them to remain suspicious of the human in their midst.

Not because of what he was, but because, even thought the others didn't seem to realize it, the human felt – dirty and had stopped aging a few years after his arrival in their sanctuary, nearly two centuries earlier. And as a powerful magic user, Ryukossei knew that the man would have a long life – but he still should have aged physically...  
Another century went by, the kind NüWa happily mated to the man their people had all but forgotten was human.  
And finally, deciding he had learned all he could while holding his peaceful front – and so KangHui revealed his true nature, using his own tainted powers and what knowledge and powers he'd learned while among them to lay waste to the dragons and their lair.

The dragons fought back, of course, but KangHui was a cunning man who'd had centuries posing as a friend, ally – family - to learn all their weaknesses.  
Coincidentally, another human arrived during the battle, descending from a human that had fallen too to the dark mage's plots. That human, Ryukossei felt immediately, brimmed with reiki where KangHui own powers had felt so malicious – so they fought side by side, aided by a distraught NüWa...

When the dust fell, KangHui had been vanquished after they'd managed to destroy the phylactery around his neck keeping him alive, but there were only two daiyoukai still alive among the ruins of their haven, one of them cursed, the second carrying the child of the man who'd destroyed their whole clan.  
NüWa had left with the human that had proved himself in battle – and from what Ryukossei knew, her descendants, while mostly humans by now, were all wizards with a particular affinity for dragons and other scaled beasts, and more notably, held the magical and non-magical throne of the empire that had bloomed since then...

As for Ryukossei, after searching for a cure to his curse in vain, traveling the world as he did, he'd eventually grew tired of living – and that was when he realized that the curse wasn't only confining him in a parody of his old true form, it also prevented him from being freed from the curse.  
Even by dying.

That was when the dragon grew indifferent to the world around him, paying little to no mind to the life and death of people around him, and gaining a reputation as a monster even among daiyoukai.  
Then – he'd met a young shiro inu daiyoukai.  
"The brat was brash and loudmouthed, yet so very powerful for one so young..." Ryukossei remembered with a fond smile "And he had such a good heart for a daiyoukai warrior that even NüWa fell short of him. Even if he didn't like to be called such feminine term."

Tsukiko had laughed at that – and its only when she commented "Wow oji-san, InuKimi-san was right, you're really just like ojii-sama!" that InuYasha realized just whom exactly the dragon was talking about  
Even thought it had been rather obvious in retrospect.

"Toga had been one of the few daiyoukai able to make me stay my hand and refrain from killing him. He was the first to ask, and hear my story... And of course, he immediately offered to help."  
"Seems like I'm not the only one like oyaji, eh alpha!" the hanyou teased at the rather familiar affirmation  
"Toga grew from a brat to one of the more powerful daiyoukai of these islands, wrestling the title of Lord of the West from the old annoyance that held it back then..." a sigh "By this time, we'd both realized that my curse forbid me not to defend myself from those who would help me."  
"If he wanted to help you, he had to fight you." InuYasha realized – from the story, he'd been wondering how two friend could have sealed and killed each other  
The dragon nodded solemnly at that.

"He traveled, and fought, and grew stronger, ensured his lands would have an heir... even fell in love with a human. But eventually he came to me."  
"And so you fought, and he sealed you."  
"And I caused his death."  
 _ **(flashback end)**_

"You didn't cause his death anymore than InuYasha did!" Tsukiko corrected "Ojii-sama came from his fight with you, but if he'd taken the time to heal, chichi-ue told me he would have been better eventually... Even if it may have taken decades. But went he went back to the shiro where the House of the Moon was based back then, news came from Izayoi-sama." a sigh "The hime, ready to give birth to oji-san by this time, was being held hostage by the human lord she had been promised to."  
"The bastard who offered to take her back if she abandoned me later on..." InuYasha realized  
Tsukiko nodded "Most certainly."

"So Toga went and saved them." the dragon completed, knowing his friend enough to guess at his actions "And died from the wounds."  
"But doing what he felt right." Tsukiko smiled  
The ryu daiyoukai eyes were lighter than they had been since he'd started recounting his life, and he bowed toward the two of them "I'm sure Toga would have been proud of his family." a smile "As for me, you've freed me from my curse, and reminded me that when the world seems to grow dull, there is always something new to find."  
Seeing as the dragon seemed to be ready to leave, InuYasha ask "What are you going to do then?"

"I'll start by getting closure." the ryu daiyoukai announced solemnly "I'm going back to the haven, then I'll look up if little Nü is still alive, with or without her husband. If they aren't to be found, I'll still check on their descendant..." a smile "Then I'll explore the world once more. Now that I can look human, it's bound to be more interesting!"  
"Come see us again if you want." Tsukiko invited with a smile  
"We'll see each other again." the other confirmed – the words echoing like a promise

With that, the tall, beautiful man was replace by his no less majestic True Form and took flight, soon disappearing on the horizon.

¤.¤.¤

"What happened?" Miroku's voice broke niece and uncle pensive silence – and only then did they realize that they had reached the cliff where their pack waited form them while talking  
"We saw the quest update, so we know InuYasha won," Shippou told "But then we saw that you were taking your sweet time coming back, and there was someone else with you..."  
"And guessing at the form that man took when he left, I think we can all make a guess about just who was with you." Sango added mischievously

"There was more to the story than what we knew." InuYasha said shortly "But it isn't our tale to share."  
"Suffice to say, Ryukossei and the Inu no Taishou were far from the enemies they were depicted as." Tsukiko completed  
Before their pack-mates could ask the multitude of questions they still had, Chaos Game saved them by finally processing what had happened...

 **[Hidden Event LV300 complete!**  
 _Searching beneath the bloodthirsty monster's front, you were able to help an old soul_  
 **Reward:** +4000XP, +1 Enhancement Stone  
 _More than breaking a curse, you've given a new interest in life to an old soul_  
 **Bonus Reward (Tsukiko and InuYasha only):** +10 000XP, **"Elder Long's Treasure"** title unlocked]

 **[Political** **System** updated!  
 **Ryukossei** _(ryu daiyoukai, LVmax)_ has been added as a House of Moon ally: +50XP]

[ **"Elder Long's Treasure"** soul-bond title activated  
+1 Luck, +1Charisma, +2Wisdom]  
[InuYasha activated **"Elder Long's Treasure"** soul-bond title  
+1 Luck, +1 Charisma, +2 Wisdom]

 **[Level up!** You are now level 182!  
 _+19SP, +8CP, +2SP]_  
 **[Level up!** Kagome is now level 145!  
 _+11SP, +4CP, +1SP]_  
 **[Level up!** InuYasha is now level 169!  
 _+25SP, +10CP, +2SP]_  
 **[Level up!** Shippou is now level 144!  
 _+13SP, +4CP, +1PP]_  
 **[Level up!** Miroku is now level 143!  
 _+13SP, +4CP, +1SP]_  
 **[Level up!** Sango is now level 135!  
 _+16SP, +8CP, +2SP ]_  
 **[Level up! Kanna** is now level 138!  
 _+15SP, +6CP, +1SP]_

[InuYasha is now Four-Tailed!  
 **Four-Tail Perks  
** **\- Poison Fang:** all your attack can be enhanced by your own poison, unlocks **Poison Resistance** as a fast learning Fighting Skill (inherited from father)  
 **\- Moon Child:** when in dire situation, the Moon will protect you, unlocks a powerful shield boosted by your **Light** **Affinity** that activated when your HP goes under 25% (unlocked by being accept as a full-fledged member of the House of Moon family)  
 **-Might of the Dragon:** when needed ryu can be powerful warriors able to use the force of nature against their opponents, you will gain the characteristic of one of their hanyou (+2 Strength and +1 Agility every half decade) and unlock the mastery of one nature element (unlocked by becoming a dragon's treasure, locks **Mind** **of** **the** **Dragon** )  
 **-Mind of the Dragon:** ryu are reputed for their peaceful ways, trying to reason before resort to fight, you will gain the characteristic of one of their hanyou (+2Wisdom and +1Luck every half decade) and unlock the mastery of your inner element (unlocked by becoming a dragon's treasure, locks **Might** **of** **the** **Dragon** )

 _available: 1]_

"I think there's a problem with my eyes." Sango was the first to break the silence "Or Chaos Interface is broken..." she added thoughtfully  
Tsukiko laughed at the disbelief clear in her pack's eyes – while she hadn't interfered with the dragon's death for the XP gain, she wasn't as surprised as the others as while it was quite impressive, it was only logical given that the daiyoukai in questions had had more than enough time to hit the maximum level Chaos Game managed in his more than six millennia of existence.

"Still," Shippou protected "it feels a bit unfair that InuYasha and Tsuki-chan did all the work yet we all gain the XP..."  
"Don't be stupid," the hanyou protested automatically "That's because we're pack of course."  
"Oji-san is right. Beside, you've never complained before that I get the XP when stand back and let you fight." Tsukiko compared easily "And really, oji-san and I did gain far more than the rest of you from this quest..."

The kit looked about to protest, then, glancing between the alpha and beta that seemed in complete agreement, closed his mouth and instead took on a contemplating face – while indeed the ookami and the hanyou had, simply with the bonus reward only them had unlocked, gained much more from the quest, it still felt quite unequal he thought.  
But then again, maybe what they were trying to say was that XP and reward weren't the only things to take into account, and that each member of the pack gave something to it in exchange.

Kagome never asked for anything while healing people, after all, just like Sango freely shared knowledge exclusive to her home and trade with them and Miroku had spent many hours helping Kagome mastering her reiki.  
It left the kit in a bit of a conundrum – what did he give back to the pack?

"You're thinking too loud." InuYasha affirmed, dropping to the ground by his side – making Shippou when the hanyou had gone from idiot to big brother in his mind  
Said hanyou pointed at Kanna "Would you want to force her to fight to earn her keep?"  
"What! Of course not!"  
"So what do the pack gain by keeping her?"  
"It's not a question of gaining anything its..." the kit protested heatedly, before stopping in his tracks  
"There you have it." InuYasha nodded "It's not a question of gaining. Beside, it's not as if as soon as you go through your own Coming of Age Trial and earn your stripes you'll just up and forget about us is it?"

"Of course not! We're pack!"  
"Ah, but would we still be pack if you went ahead and become an alpha yourself?"  
"Of course! Pack will be pack! Even if by the time I grow up and meet Tsuki-chan in the future, she'll still be my alpha! Even if I'm an alpha myself and older than her!"  
The hanyou nodded, point made, and Shippou smiled, suddenly feeling silly at having such baseless fear as being judged by his pack.

Around them, said pack shared approving glances at the way their beta had handled the situation – understanding easily how Shippou could have been unsettled, the massive XP gain highlight matters he hadn't really thought about before.  
All of the pack-mates had gone through the same contemplation each on their own – but being older, coming to the right conclusion by themselves had been easier.

"Speaking of that bonus reward, what about the title you've unlocked?" Miroku asked as he was taking in the slew of notification bit by bit "Come to think of it, it reminds me of something..."  
"Elder Long is the title given to the leader of all dragon youkai." Tsukiko explained "He is both the oldest, and wisest of them... I hadn't realized that Ryukossei was the one..." she mumbled, realizing as she said it that of course he was the one – there weren't a lot of dragon daiyoukai to start with, and the dragon beasts and regular youkai rarely had the need or want to become daiyoukai

"And the treasure part?" Shippou asked  
"Dragons are hoarder." Sango was the one to point out "I mean even the beasts and youkai ones are known for that."  
"But shouldn't a hoard be like... I don't know, a big pile of gold or something like that?" Kagome wondered  
"It can be. But each dragon has something different he likes to collect." Tsukiko contradicted "For some its jewels, but others can gather knowledge, or even plants... In our time, I've even heard about a dragon who collects souvenir from different countries he went to." a shrug "And with how ever-changing the world is, he is always picking up new things for his hoard!"

"So what does it mean," InuYasha wondered worriedly "he won't suddenly think we're some kind of property, right?"  
Tsukiko laughed.  
"No it doesn't." she quickly reassured her uncle "But it does explain why he promised we'd see each other again. Dragons who collects people don't jail them in some kind of golden prison, but we're marked. Just as youkai or even some humans knows we're pack, they'll know we're Ryukossei treasure."  
"And what does it means? Is it like pack then?"

"Yes and no. Pack tend to stay together as us canine aren't particularly individualistic by nature. Ryu are quite solitary by nature. Having people as treasure, it gives them someone to go back to, an anchor to the world around them." a smile "And of course, living dragon treasures tend to be seen as lucky people, who are rather revered even by holy beings."  
That affirmation made InuYasha splutter, the hanyou having difficulties imagining people worshiping him like his alpha was hitting at.

Still, the way Tsukiko had explained it – and from what he'd seen from the daiyoukai, he had trouble seeing this new status as a bad thing. And maybe when they saw him again, Ryukossei would be more ready to share stories about Touga...

Uncle and niece didn't even need the look of understanding they shared – InuYasha unlocked **Might** **of** **the** **Dragon** , and a water affinity to go with it just as Tsukiko took on **Mind** **of** **the** **Dragon** , and saw the **Dying** **Will** Tail perk disappear from her list of available perk, the inner elements being, just as she had thought, the very same flames she had used in her life as Sawada Kazami.  
With the perk activation, it felt like a seal was broken – as suddenly the knowledge she knew she had about the flames unlocked.

Of course, knowledge didn't grant instant mastery, and she would have to meditate and find the colors of her soul all over again, but she saw that more as a benefit than a needless repetition – she wasn't Sawada Kazami anymore after all, and if her aim was to help other heroes, her multiple reincarnations also had an effect on her, something she realized clearly.  
The black haired Japanese girl who made her life in the underworld and thrived in the mafia barely hid an Harriet Potter still raw from the wizarding war and barely understanding and accepting her new role as a goddess – decades had gone by since then, and she knew that turning her meditation not toward her powers as a youkai or a goddess, but the very nature of her being was bound to be interesting...

¤.¤.¤

"So... I have to ask," Miroku wondered at InuYasha "Why water?"  
"Because I'll eventually be able to combine it with my air affinity."  
"Thus unlocking an ice affinity." Tsukiko completed, impressed at the quick thinking her uncle had done – and not even in a fighting situation this time!  
"Does that mean that Sango can use both fire and wind then?" Shippou wondered "I mean, her lightning is listed as a combination of the two..."  
"With sufficient mastery she could probably learn to separate the two elements from her own, yes." the alpha confirmed

"And that inner element you've discovered, what is it?"  
"I don't know yet," Tsukiko explained "But I do have knowledge about it."  
"What do you mean?"

Seeing that everyone seemed interested, the alpha engaged in an impromptu lesson on the old harmony between Air, Water and Earth, explaining about how all people's soul was attuned to one or several of the seven flames each of the three element was divided into – or rather how that had been the case ages ago, until the balance was undone by the careless actions of the people of Water, the Atlantes of old, taking most of the people of Mu, those of the Earth with them.  
And leaving behind only what had been at the time deemed the lesser beings of Air – humans, spirits and other youkai who now ruled the world.

"This fire you're talking about..." Shippou, who had the greatest mastery over fire among the pack was the first to realize "It's that strange aura you had when you healed Kanna, isn't it?"  
"It was." Tsukiko confirmed "But all my powers but one, generally down-graded, are sealed when I'm reborn."

"A mortal body couldn't hold all of your powers at the same time." Miroku understood so much more easily that he was now attuned to her powers  
"And so its like my knowledge is present but distant regarding those things... Until I unlock them again apparently."  
"So you could do that aura again?"  
"In time maybe. Right now, the knowledge is back in its right place, but this body haven't had any practice."  
"So... Since its a power everyone has, and that you used as a human..." Sango wondered "Does it mean you could teach it to us?"

 **[Hidden Quest! Finding Harmony...**  
 **Goal:** have every pack member find his Passive Flames  
 **Bonus Goal:** have every pack member find his Passive Flames before completing the Shikon no Tama  
 **Reward:** +50XP per goal, Enhancement System update upon completion  
 **Bonus Reward:** +100XP per goal, +1 power appropriate Ring and Box upon completion]

"I guess that's a yes then..." Tsukiko mused, both amused at Chaos prompt reaction and wondering if teaching flames to civilians could be seen as breaching Omerta – then deciding that it didn't, since they were her pack, and that anyway the jailers of the underworld didn't really like her powers since they were still undead clinging to the Earth at the current time

And so Flame lessons were added to the training schedule, and the pack was ready to move – all recalling back to Edo as had been decided earlier...  
They were welcomed to their home-base by Kaede, flanked with both a smiling Kohaku and an already changing Jinenji, the old miko having gone from simply giving out herbal knowledge to the gentle hanyou to even teaching him about healing, while Rouyakan was not too far away, helping a few villagers making a new hut.

The word was spreading, Kaede explained, about Havens protected by the gods themselves where humans and youkai could leave together in peace – and while they didn't have any home deity available to bless their village, nothing forbid them from welcoming people, and the villagers had already been becoming more tolerant after the coming and going of the Shikon hunting pack, the constant presence and protection of Rouyakan helping even more, not to talk about Jinenji, who once you looked past the fading ugly appearance, had a heart of gold that made him hard not to like...

As such, a few of the less hostile youkai, wandering merchant among them, had made Edo a new stop on their route, trading wares with the humans and bringing with them rumors from all over the country.  
Hearing the youkai merchant talk about their family, or the political intrigue of the daiyoukai had made much for the humans gaining understanding and tolerance toward the youkai – suddenly realizing that leaping the murderous ones with those ones was just like taking a look at the worst of the bandits around and deciding all humans were just like them...

The mention of the lack of divine protection did make Tsukiko wonder about whether she could help or not – but this was something she'd have to sleep on for a while, as it wasn't as easy for her as for the lower deities to bless a place, and her powers weren't particularly protective in nature.  
The pack had taken advantage of the end of the lesson Kaede was giving to ask the old miko about Naraku's sudden grudge against Kagome – or rather, against Kikyou.

"It's rather evident." the miko had stated calmly "My sister was the reason why Onigumo gave his body to the youkai, his longing for her was so strong that he abandoned any humanity to have her..."  
"Except he didn't." Miroku realized "Naraku is a hanyou, and it means that Onigumo's heart is still somewhere within. The heart of the man that wanted Kikyou-sama so much..."  
"Kagome is a danger for Naraku, because he can't kill her, Onigumo won't let him harm Kikyou..."

"But Naraku is the one who killed Kikyou isn't he?" Shippou pointed out  
"He wounded her, hoping to make her wish on the jewel." InuYasha corrected "He never intended for her to die, he wanted to corrupt her."  
"So now that he's realize that Kagome is a threat he is trying to make someone else take her out for him." Sango concluded "Going as far as making detachment as monstrous as Juuro and Kageromaru..."

"Which mean that for now he can't act out directly against Kagome-chan, but I doubt he is simply trying to make other kill her, he's probably trying to get rid of this weakness too."  
"So... how do we use this to our advantage?" Shippou wondered  
"Offensively speaking, I can't help you..." Kaede announced "But as long as Onigumo's heart long for Kikyou-one-sama, there is one thing that can be used as an invincible shield, be it against Naraku or any of his children sent to kill you."  
While talking, the miko had led them once more to the cave where the barren earth where Onigumo had died was still visible.

Scooping a handful of dirt, Kaede put it in a simple bag, making the thing look like an omamori before handing it to Kagome.  
"Onigumo never wished for my sister's death." she explained "And he spent so much time lying here before letting himself be devoured by the youkai, that his feeling are still present in the ground... As long as Onigumo's heart is present in Naraku's body, then this will protect you from any attack coming from him."

Kagome looked at the amulet dubiously – while she understood the advantage of having it, the idea of carrying around the echo of that despicable bandit's feeling around with her still made her skin crawl...

After that, the pack had broken for the day, Kagome and Tsukiko heading out to their era, Miroku walking Sango through some simple meditation exercise to help her with both her lightning manipulation and search for her inner flame, while Shippou practiced his true form in a nearby field.  
Most surprising, maybe, had been Kanna's request to InuYasha.

Spending her days with the pack was making just as much wonders for the void youkai than spending time with Jinenji had done for Kohaku. And while she wasn't ready to stand up and fight against Naraku himself – she wanted to be able to one day.  
And while the young girl wasn't by any mean weak, her powers had been so completely cut from her when stuck in that mirror, that she had but a very basic grasp on them right now.

¤.¤.¤

"I get that you want to get better with your powers..." the hanyou had answered the request a bit bewildered "And I'm not saying I won't help you!" he immediately reassured the young youkai "It's just... Why me? I don't think our powers are alike at all, and I'm far from being the more patient, or the better teacher..." he pointed out  
"Because you're Naraku's first enemy. He was jealous of your relation with Kikyou, and fort that he wanted you dead." her eyes were clear as she stated "But you're not dead. Your his first enemy and his first failure too."

She was staring at her hand as she went on "But most importantly you're not afraid. Whereas even hearing, or pronouncing his name... I'm terrified, and I don't want to be anymore."  
InuYasha nodded at the little youkai – how could he refuse her really? So even though he wasn't the most patient, or the better teacher, not even the most intelligent among the pack – he was still the best survivor, he knew how it felt to be afraid, and tired to be afraid...  
He'd used anger for a long time to forget about his fear, but things had changed, first with Kikyou then with his pack.  
Kanna, he vowed, wouldn't have to hide her fear beneath anger – he'd make sure of it.

"So, tell me about your powers."  
And she did.

"The way I see it," InuYasha stated after a while "we've got several options in front of us. Clearly, your way of using your abilities is going to change, since you can't rely on your mirror anymore... But its not really a bad thing, since that mirror can't hurt you anymore either."  
With a stick, he drew a number on the dirt at their feet "The evident way to use your power of taking on your opponent's power for yourself would be at close range." he explained "Train you in hand to hand, or with one short weapon and a free hand ,and you could learn to get close to the enemy, steal his power while fighting, and turn them around him in the same step."

Kanna nodded – but it was clear she wasn't too keen on the idea.  
"That's what I thought. I think you're like Kagome-chan in that you don't like to fight, don't you?"  
The girl nodded hesitantly, reluctant to admit as much to a man who so clearly loved fighting.  
"That's alright, everyone is different."he reassured her while drawing a two on the ground "Still in that aspect, the knight you could create to fight and steal powers for you was ideal in that you could stay far from the fight... But the fact that his wounds got transferred to you is not good."

With that, the one and two were erased swiftly, and a three replaced them.  
"Then there's the hard and convoluted way, very fitting of a member of our improbable pack!" he laughed "You've worked a bit with Miroku and learned about his sutra right?" a nod "Well miko uses something called shikigami, have you heard about them?" another nod

InuYasha smiled as he easily admitted "I'm not too good at all those controlled ways of using power, but in your case, I think it'll fit you." he explained "We'll train you a bit on close-ranged fighting so you can get out of any sticky situation, but most importantly, we'll get you to be so good from afar that people won't be able to get close to you."  
Seeing at her inquisitive look she didn't see the link with the previous talk he explained "We'll train you like a miko, with a bow and small shikigami able too slip toward the enemy to steal their powers for you to use, may be imbue your arrow with their powers like a miko does with reiki." a shrug "I don't think this will be easy to learn, but within our pack we've got the more versatile range of fighters I've ever seen together so between all of our skills and knowledge, we should be able to find out how to do this."

Kanna's eyes widened at the description – yes, it wouldn't be easy to pull of, but she could see herself fighting like that.  
"Your reflecting ability we'll train to become nearly reflexive when you feel or seen attacks or projectiles coming toward you. The shield will be weaker, but come up faster, and you'll need a lot less focus and youki to use it. So that's it for your two main abilities." the hanyou concluded  
Then his own statement made him stop in his tracks.

"Wait, you're Three-tailed right?" at her agreeing nod he wondered "So what about you third ability? I mean I remember you could steal souls, but that was more of the mirror's ability from what I'd gathered? Not to mention the bonus Tail perk we gained when the pack leveled up..."

"I only have those two perks." Kanna admitted "I think the abilities with souls of the mirror prevented my own from surfacing..."  
"So you've got two Tail perks to use?" the hanyou realized, eyes widening – a nod "And do you have an idea of what you want to do with them?"  
Staring intently at her feet to hide her blush, the young youkai mumbled "I think... because alpha-chan saved me..." it took quite a bit of self-control for the hanyou not to laugh at his niece's new nickname "I have access to the **Youkai** **Miko** perk and I want to use it!" the girl rushed to the last part of her sentence

InuYasha's eyes widened at that – but he had to ask "Do you want this perk for yourself or because you think it'll spite Naraku that his own child became what he feared?"  
"Both." she honestly answered "I don't want to be afraid of him, and being able to hurt him... I think it'll help... but I also like the lessons Kagome-san, and even Miroku-san gives. I'd like to learn to heal with plants, but also myself like Kaede-sama and Kagome-san and alpha-chan can... and to do wards to protect like Miroku-san can do..."  
"You do know it'll be a difficult path?" InuYasha reminded "The only other in existence right now is our alpha after all."

"Well," Kanna smiled, reassured by the warning rather than discouraged "it's like you said right, beta-nii? We're part of Shadow's pack and don't do things the easy way!"  
The hanyou nodded in approval, putting his surprise about his own new nickname to the side in an effort to focus of the girl in front of him "Well, what are you waiting for then?"  
Opening Chaos Interface, the void spirit quickly chose the Tail Perk – and even if her face remained stoic, InuYasha guessed that the change wasn't painless, as he felt the moment reiki was born, and mingled with the already existing youki in the strange blending of opposite powers he'd only ever felt in Tsukiko before.  
While she looked tired by the change – Kanna's smile was one of the brightest the hanyou had seen on her face.

"I've got the same Tail perk related to Shadow's power as Miroku-san." she announced, not really surprised as she knew she had become part of the goddess' Holy Servants, even without reiki – it was only logical that now that her powers were compatible, the abilities appeared  
But clearly, that wasn't the perk that was calling to her, InuYasha mused as the little girl eyes lightened as she read another description.  
"There's a perk to fix me." she finally whispered  
"Fix you?" the hanyou tilted his head, wondering what she meant – after all Tsukiko had already saved her from Naraku hadn't she?

Probably guessing at his thoughts, Kanna explained softly "I think the ability with souls that Naraku forced on me stole my own ability. Alpha-chan couldn't fix something that wasn't there, could she? So she couldn't give me back the basic ability of a spirit..."  
"Elemental manipulation." the hanyou realized "Naraku called you a void spirit, but there's no void element, you don't have any element to use..."  
"He stole it." she nodded, eyes darkening "He stole the most important part of any nature spirit..."

"Then take it back." InuYasha stated rather than suggested – but of course Kanna wasn't even put out by the near order, as she was of the same mind as him  
Swiftly, **Turning** **Back** **the** **Wheel** was chosen, Kanna's youki gaining a darker, albeit not evil feel to it, the black eyes gaining a silver glint to them, the pure white hair seemingly dyed black mid-length.  
InuYasha smiled softly "A Shadow Spirit, eh?" he commented, mirth in his eyes  
"I found it fitting."

The hanyou laughed out loud – shy she may still be, Shippou's influence on the young youkai was already visible, as she too seemed to be gaining a mischievous streak...  
"It suits you." he reassured her "So, since the basis are the same for any element manipulation, we can do that, or I can start you on some hand-to-hand basis?"  
The little spirit took a look of intense concentration before opting for the second option, and so the hanyou was soon walking her through some basics, explaining her how to throw a punch, or use her small size to her advantage, and so on...


	15. Game On 30 XIV Sango's Resolve

Hi again!  
So yes, one more chapter, I was sick last week but rather clear headed so since I had nothing else to do I spent the whole week writing.  
Luckily I did a bit of editing yesterday - because the bad part of the virus is hitting now, so no more clear-headed bliss, it's all back to the traditional stuffy nose, lead-heavy head and achy body :-(  
so even though I'm rushing the posting of what i've written last week, the spell-checking is probably spotty and all of that - but I'll come back to that when I'm not sick. Stupid change of season -_-

still, I hope you enjoy!

* * *

 **Chapter XIV. October 1996 Sango's Resolve**

While InuYasha and Kanna were bonding, Kagome and Tsukiko had headed back to the future, where they we enthusiastically greeted not only by the Higurashi, but even by Saiyuri and Akane that were working together while the rest of their usual hunting party was in the past.  
The friends immediately decided to come with them to Mahoutokoro, taking advantage of the travel time to catch up with both past and present happenings.

Kagome hadn't realized that Ryoichi and Tsukiko were exchanging mails on a daily basis thanks to Chaos Interface, so the stories of his travels were new to her too – and Saiyuri and Akane both took turn explaining about the changes already brought by the two dozen of orphans, and many more youkai beasts Ryoichi had dropped before heading north.  
"You know, I always though you'd be Ryo-dono's beta," Saiyuri was the one to tell Akane "yet somehow it seems the post is being taken by a yama-neko hanyou brat of all things!"  
"Me, beta?" the kitsune protested "No way, I don't want nor need this kind of responsibilities, thank you very much! The cat can take it all!"

They hadn't spent that much time on the school campus – barely enough for Kagome to drop by her latest batch of completed homework, get back the corrected previous one and new material to study.  
"You are progressing nicely," the secretary praised her "And while some seem to think it only normal coming from the Shikon no Miko..." at that Kagome blushed, not having realized that thanks to the shenanigans of time-travel she had been famous for centuries for something she was doing just now "I think they are forgetting that school work and saving the world are two entirely separate things, and doing both at the same time can't be easy." a kind smile "So keep up the good work!"

After that, a laughing Tsukiko, Saiyuri and Akane dragged the still red miko toward the magical market.  
"Since we don't know when you'll be back next," Akane was saying to the ookami that was browsing a shop for toys to help young of any species to learn to control their powers "we're celebrating your birthday tonight!"  
Kagome, who'd been shopping for sweets for Shippou and Kanna, and other small treats for the rest of the pack, stopped in her steps.

"Wow, I hadn't realized we were already in October!" she admitted "They're right, your birthday is right around the corner!"  
"I've already sent word home," Saiyuri was saying to the hime "the cooks will make us a feast!" she said, face already flushing in anticipation  
"You were just looking for a reason to make them prepare your favorites." teased Akane  
"It's not my fault they're the same as Tsuki-hime!" the miko protested immediately "Beside you wouldn't want to deprive Sesshoumaru-sama from his daughter when she's finally come home?" she added with large, innocent eyes

The kitsune sighed at the antics – wondering once more if someone called holy like a miko should be allowed to be as mischievous as a fox – but decided that Saiyuri wasn't necessarily wrong. Even if – god forbid – the Lord of the West wasn't a clingy father by any measure, protective streak non-withstanding, knowing that his daughter was currently traipsing around in the past gathering shards from a cursed jewel and playing cats and mouse with what was probably the most evil hanyou ever was probably a bit taxing on his nerves.  
Even if he already knew the end of the story, so to say...

As for Kagome, she was having a small freak-out, realizing that they were dragging them toward the House of Moon main mansion, where she had never stepped before, what with not knowing about the supernatural and all that.  
It was her fellow miko who reassured her, probably guessing at her thoughts "Don't worry, the public parts of the domain may look grand, we'll be in the family aisle tonight, after all, it's only friends and family, there's no need for grandstanding." a wry smile "Well not too much grandstanding, it's Sesshoumaru-sama we're talking about." a wink "But even if he may look serious, he's not as terrifying as everyone is trying to make him out... well as long as you're on his good side."  
"You're... not very good at reassuring people." Kagome dead-panned – still feeling better despite her affirmation

Still, a few hours latter the whole Higurashi family was welcomed to the compound where Tsukiko had spent her childhood – Daisuke visibly having already come before, and looking quite comfortable in the rather traditional clothes he'd made them wear, while Souta was looking around with wide eyes, and Kagome and Natsumi were struggling not to do the same.  
Still, Saiyuri hadn't lied, and while the whole place screamed wealth and tradition, the family aisle, where they soon were led to, managed to retain a homely feeling.

Saiyuri and Akane were present too, of course – and soon only the master of the house was missing, the reason why becoming more and more apparent as loud noises could be heard from the inner garden.  
"I knew it Sesshou-chan! You're trying to keep her to yourself! Why didn't you tell me she was home!"  
"Because I knew you would overreact, you overgrown brat." a calm, yet clearly annoyed voice answered "And don't call me that name!"  
A yelp "No need to go all mighty Lord of the West on me, I'll behave, promise! Stop it with the poison, it'll melt my fur!"

Tsukiko's eyes widened at both the voice, which she easily recognized – and the oh so familiar smell. Even Kagome seemed startled, as if realizing that she should recognize the voice, but not quite managing to...  
"I can't believe the general is at it again." Saiyuri sighed "What kind of example is that man setting for his children, really?"  
"Well," Akane teased "He hasn't seen his beloved mother in centuries, after all. Or is it his daughter-in-law?" she wondered

Deciding that the verbal brawl wouldn't end without outside interference, Tsukiko raised gracefully from the cushions where they'd settled – before slamming the shoji open in a rather unlady-like fashion.  
Sesshoumaru turned toward her with a single raised eyebrow, greeting contently "Okaeri nasai, musume."  
"Tadaima, chichi-ue." she answered with a warm smile – before getting a hand full of brightly smiling kitsune  
"Alpha! I missed you!"  
"Ah but I just saw you in the past." she teased "And you saw me a few months ago at the gathering."  
"Ah! But you weren't alpha yet back then!" he protested

She smiled softly – to think the famous general had seemed like such an imposing figure to her, back when he'd granted her the alpha stripes on her cheeks – but now, even centuries older and proudly sporting nine-tails, all she could see was the kit left in the past.  
And so she reiterated "Tadaima, Shippou-chan."  
Kagome smiled too "Well, you were right Tsuki-chan," she commented "he's grown taller than you."

The sentence was enough to make the kitsune realize that there were other people in the room, and soon it was the Shikon Miko that was being squeeze for all she was worth "I missed you too, Kagome-nee-chan!"  
Letting out a long suffering, yet clearly affected sigh, Sesshoumaru commented "See. I knew it. Gross overreaction, like always."

¤.¤.¤

And just like that, any leftover tension was broken, and the group was soon seated around a low table to eat the feast Saiyuri had been dreaming about. Observing the inu daiyoukai a the head of the table, Kagome couldn't help but smile – while the Sesshoumaru of the past clearly was already quite attached to his daughter, it was easy to see just how much closer the present Sesshoumaru was with his daughter.  
While the daiyoukai still looked quite reserved, his icy appearance receded when among friends, and he may not talk a lot, he seemed still quite at ease with the chatter and banter around him, in a way the past one couldn't manage yet.

"I see you've caught the eye of a dragon." Sesshoumaru commented during a lull of the conversations "The Elder Long has been harassing me nearly as badly as this idiot or the Lord of the East about your travels."  
"We decided to play a game of jan-ken-pon to decide which of us could see you first once you started your travels, because your father didn't want his home invaded by all of us!" Shippou whispered "I won in a game of luck against a dragon!" he added, a proud glimmer in his eyes  
"And I'm sure you didn't cheat about it." Sesshoumaru commented, irony dripping from the icy comment "You were lucky the Elder knew enough about your antics not to get upset."

"That and there just so happen to be a large kitsune fair in Beijin magical district." the smug fox added "He really couldn't afford not to be seen at least for the opening and closing ceremonies."  
"And guess who was the main backer of this fair..." Akane whispered to Tsukiko, eyes rolling at the other's bragging "And he event managed to rope oyaji into going in his place."

"You have to admit it was well played." the kitsune laughed "And technically, the old dragon managed to use it as a pretext to hold his own fair in Mahoutokoro by the end of the year..." he grumbled "So in the end I gave him a pretext to come." a shrug "Not that he needed one, it's well known that he may hold the title of Elder, he leaves the Dragon Empress in charge for most things, despite her real charge being magical China, not youkai China."  
"Well you'll note that in Japan it's our magical minister who tends to defer to the Council of Lords, so it's not that surprising..." Akane shrugged carelessly "So can we stop talking about boring politics? Poor Tsukiko is still waiting on her presents..."

Nobody commented on the fact that the kitsune was clearly the one dying to give out her presents – and sure enough, she was the first to hand out a small bundle wrapped in silk "I went on a job in the south recently," she explained away excitedly "and the client offered to make something for me as a repayment!"  
Tsukiko carefully unwrapped the present, knowing that the client in question must be rather good at his job if the kitsune looked so happy – an sure enough, the tessen, for it couldn't be a simple fan given its weight, was beautiful even closed, and even more so once open.

The structure of the weapon was made of what could only be sandalwood, the wood exquisitely inscribed in an abstract pattern, while the body was of hand-painted silk, the large white dog on it impossible not to recognize.  
"The wood is grown by earth spirits," Akane explained excitedly "Its solid enough on its own to be used as a blunt weapon, but there's even hidden blades," she pointed at the mechanism excitedly "And of course the silk is enchanted to resist just about anything." a candid smile "But it's when I saw his talent at painting that I knew I just have to commission something from him..."

[Leveling-weapon **ShiroInu** **Tessen** (LV1) received: +3 Luck, +10 damage, +2 Light Damage, +1 Enhancement Space]

Akane smiled knowingly at the thankful look she received, and promptly squeezed the younger youkai for all her worth, knowing well that Tsukiko rarely initiated hugs – but never refused them.

Saiyuri had found the young hime an old and rather rare tome about Asians rituals in the wizarding district, while of course Daisuke had some strange ingredients to give out.  
Still – Kagome nearly fell off her spot at her childhood friend's reaction – as instead of the disgust Kagome had always reacted with to theses gifts, the ookami had grinned wildly "I can't believe you're still doing this, Daisuke-kun!"  
"Well," he answered with mirth in his eyes "You're the one that told me that with all the precious presents you received from people, no one ever thought to give you dog treats for Padfoot, Tsuki-hime."

Indeed – the Grimm was already sniffing enthusiastically in the direction of the dried unidentified thing kept just out of his reach by his mistress...  
"I think that mutt must be the most spoiled Grimm ever..." Tsukiko commented while eyeing said treat "Where did you find dried hell-rats?"  
"I've got my way, Tsuki-hime." was the mysterious answer – in what looked like a chat repeated countless times before  
"You mean all those strange birthday presents were always meant for Buyo?" Kagome realized, thinking back about how happy the old cat always seemed at the treats  
"Well, the old baka-neko is getting in on his years, but he's been protecting the shrine from nuisances ever since you healed him." her grand-father announced to her "And you couldn't guess at his favorites since you didn't realize he wasn't a normal cat, could you?"

Shippou – despite having claimed he hadn't been informed of his alpha return - went next, presenting the ookami with a set of nine crystalline looking beads who tingled lightly when shaken. Kagome looked curiously at the beautiful items she didn't identify – in fact she realized, most of those around the table seemed just as ignorant as her about the nature of the gift, with an exception made of a now pouting Akane "Of course he just had to show up and beat my gift..."  
The reaction seemed to tip the old priest off, as Daisuke's eyes suddenly widened "Those are... I thought only kitsune could use those?" he wondered

"Well of course," Shippou confirmed – Kagome got the feeling she wasn't the only one getting ticked off by their blatant lack of explanation about just what were those beads "But alpha is a Kitsune Friend, so she shares all of our gifts!"  
As for said alpha – she was the one initiating the hug this time.

"Thank you so much Shippou-chan, those are priceless."  
"Well I've missed eighty-four years of presents haven't I..." he winked " So of course my present had to be exceptional!"  
"But what is it exactly?" Souta finally was the one to blurt, not able to contain his curiosity anymore

 **[Hoshi no Tama(4/9): +** 4*10% learning speed for Tail Perks]

"Hoshi no Tama." Daisuke explained "There's all kind of tales about kitsune and their precious beads, but the truth is it's not part of their power but a training method unique to them."  
As he was explaining, the golden kitsune had taken out four of the beads, somehow entwining one in each of the alpha's tails, where they glimmered faintly, tinkling lightly at every move the ookami made

"They help a kitsune master his powers faster," Shippou took over "And with mastery over each and every of your Tails ability, the corresponding bead goes silent." a cheeky smile "Even if of course, we can charm them to sing whenever we want once they're mastered!" a wink "It took Sesshoumaru decades to realize my Tama didn't sang anymore when fighting..."  
"And convincing you to make them shut up out of a fight is still an ongoing effort..." the shiro inu added with a sigh

Daisuke and Shippou had taken turn explaining about how prized those Tama were among kitsune, being seen as even more important as a Coming of Age weapon in their culture – because there were so very few craftsmen able to make those, and a set could only ever be used by one person, as they attuned themselves to the one they were attached to when used for the first time.  
Technically, Shippou had laughed – Tsukiko received her set even before the kitsune's first-born, seeing as he had commissioned both sets at the same time, but they hadn't been ready before their first trip to the past...

Kagome as the only one traveling with Tsukiko, didn't have any gift for her yet – but was already planning not to forget about the date anytime soon, as she just knew their pack would love celebrating their alpha's birthday, something Shippou's wink only confirmed.

As for Sesshoumaru's present – Kagome's eyes boggled as the daiyoukai uncovered the sapphire. While the stone itself was of a rather reasonable size – the young miko was pretty sure that given the House of Moon clear wealth he could have afforded about anything if it hits his fancy – it was exquisitely cut, and in a way she was pretty sure no human could, as it was a perfect, three-dimension crescent moon shape.  
"This was grown by Juumyo wasn't it?" Shippou was the first to realize, clearly impressed – then seeing at Kagome's face she didn't know yet who he was talking about "Juumyo's father, Hosenki-dono, was the one who made the black pearl that was in InuYasha's eye. When his father passed away he took on the family business, and is currently the most talented Jewel Youkai." the kitsune explained

 **[Moon Regalia:** a jewel imbued with the youki of the current Lord of the West, grants the **Moon** **Hime** Tail Perk]

The jewel, was grown around a light yet sturdy silver chain, with a needle-like ending – the use of Kagome soon understood as Tsukiko, using a nearby mirror, pressed the pointy end in the hollow of her elfin ears without encountering any opposition, then, as soon as she seemed satisfied with the placement, the excess of metal soon receded  
"The chain is enchanted to adapt itself to the user's need." Tsukiko explained  
"I wish all jewels could be so handy..." Akane sighed "But the enchanters good enough to do this kind of work are but a handful in Asia."

By the time the Higurashi went back home, Kagome was humming happily despite how weary she felt. Seeing her alpha among her family had made her see a whole new side about the young ookami, and it was rather amusing to realize that despite looking older, Saiyuri was clearly the little sister.  
Still, despite how happy they were to go back to their own era to see their family – and as amusing as meeting the adult Shippou had been, they still had a mission, and so at the first hour the next morning, they were once more hoping down the well.

¤.¤.¤

Padfoot was the first to jump out of the old well, and immediately started to growl menacingly, making both human and youkai miko guess that something was wrong.  
"Can you feel anything?" Tsukiko immediately asked  
Given her face, it wasn't difficult to guess that whatever was bothering her four-legged partner, she could feel to, so Kagome, nose wrinkling in concentration, let her reiki reach around them from within the well.  
And gasped, as she felt the nauseating aura that had upset both canine.

"There's a malicious aura waiting for us by the well, but it's not a youkai." she stated  
"What you're feeling is tainted reiki." Tsukiko explained, dragging her friend out of the well in one easy jump

As soon as Kagome appeared, the presence they'd felt tried to strike, a serpentine form launching itself toward the young girl, fangs out – only to be promptly stopped by Padfoot, the Grimm looking like an overgrown puppy as he happily blocked the strange looking snake under one of his large paws.  
Taking care not to come too close, but observing curiously her attacker nonetheless, the Shikon miko soon realized why the thing looked so strange – it wasn't alive at all.  
"A shikigami." a frown "But its not like shikigami are all that dangerous, so what did it want with me?"

"Remember it's a dark miko's servant in this case." Tsukiko pointed out "it was probably aiming at putting a curse on you."  
"Well," Kagome decided "We should as well go and see who's attacking so close to home, no doubt this shikigami's mistress has already realized it failed its duty."  
Tsukiko nodded, and melting the snake with a slash of claws dripping in poison, started to rush toward the scent the construct had left behind, Kagome following on Padfoot while alerting the rest of the pack.

"There's a barrier ahead." Tsukiko announced as they closed on the source of the malicious reiki  
"And a large Shikon shard!" Kagome added, eyes wide "This is too big to be anything but Naraku's share!"  
"Well I can feel a kugutsu with his aura." Tsukiko nodded, not too surprised "So my bet is that he's trying to get rid of you by using this dark miko."  
The two friends touched ground in front of the barrier, Kagome gathering her reiki in her naginata before downing it in one decisive slash under her alpha's approving gaze, before stepping toward the desecrated temple.

"I must have overestimated your powers, dark miko Tsubaki." a far too familiar voice was saying "Not even able to curse a young girl."  
"She is Kikyou's reincarnation." a feminine voice answered back "So its no wonder she realized she was about to get hit with my juso."  
"My bad," the evil hanyou taunted "I shouldn't have pointed you at the reincarnation when you've already lost against the original, eh?"

"You know," Tsukiko commented, announcing their presence to the duo "I had been wondering who could be audacious enough to try and curse one of mine..." a disdainful sneer "But it was only a clueless hanyou and a debased priestess possessed by low-grade youkai..."  
Hanyou and dark miko turned toward them in surprised – Naraku not wasting a second, lashing out against Kagome with the wooden vines his puppets could use – only to recoil, horrified, as a glimmering shield surrounded the miko as soon as he attacked, the wooden body soon reduced to ashes.  
"Well," Tsukiko commented "Kaede-san was right."

"She was, but given that hateful look he sent me before disappearing," Kagome commented "I doubt he'll let himself keep such a dangerous weakness longer than necessary."  
"Don't talk as if I wasn't here!" an incensed dark miko lashed out, several youkai crawling out of her right eye-socket and making Kagome shudder in disgust "You are just as fucking annoying as Kikyou!"  
"I'm not Kikyou!" Kagome bit back, now annoyed "We may share the same soul, we're not the same person so stop seeing me as her replacement!"

But Tsubaki seemed to have lost any common sense, not realizing that all the youkai sent toward them were swiftly dispatched by the two girls – and when finally another familiar looking shikigami was sent at Kagome, the young miko reflected it instinctively, sending it back right at the dark miko, who cried in agony before trying to run away – only for one last, ominous youkai to crawl out of her eye-socket before abandoning her, taking Naraku's Shikon fragment back with it.

 **[Hunting complete! Tsubaki the dark miko  
Reward: **+50XP, +1 Hunting Trophy]

"Well," Kagome commented as the saimyoushou disappeared just as the rest of their pack caught up with them "so much for that."  
It was Kaede, when informed about the encounter, who identified the dark miko as a former comrade of Kikyou who'd let herself get corrupted both out of jealousy toward the stronger priestess and because she had been afraid of growing older and loosing her good looks.  
While they'd chased the dark miko, another youkai had appeared in the village – looking, to the villagers' surprise, for Miroku.

Hachiemon was a tanuki, and an old partner in crime of the houshi – and while they hadn't met him before he'd apparently followed the pack's travels thanks to the rumor mill. As such, when he'd heard about the latest rumor about Naraku, the youkai had immediately rushed toward his friend to inform him about it...  
"A castle disappeared over night not too far from here," Hachiemon was soon explaining "and it looks like a gigantic claw extracted it from the ground. But what really made me come is that apparently, the castle disappearance was followed by a swarm of countless winged insects..."  
"You're thinking it was saimyoushou, then?" Miroku realized

The youkai nodded, adding "It was supposed to be a human shiro, but the whole place is stinking of leftovers of a malevolent youki..."  
With that, they were one their way, the tanuki acting as a guide – just like he'd said, the place looked as if it had been attack by a gigantic monster, and there was nothing left but for a few stones and upturned soil.  
"Are we sure it really was Naraku's hideout?" InuYasha wondered warily "I mean, it wouldn't be the first time he tried to drag us in a trap, just like with the wolves..."  
"It's the place." Sango contradicted firmly  
The pack turned toward the young tajiya, whose voice was strangely subdued.

Kneeling into the ground, she had unearthed a few bones, and pieces of armor.  
"This..." she said, staring at the worn piece of armor in her hands "This was chichi-ue's armor."  
Immediately, Miroku was by her side, starting to extract the bones and left-over weapons.  
"We can't let them in this place, can we?" he commented as he worked, the rest of the pack soon helping "I'm sure they'd be more happy in your village."  
"Thank you." Sango whispered, not ashamed of the tears flowing as they dug into the ground

 **[Goal complete!** +50XP  
 **Goal update:** find Naraku's newest hiding place]

"So you're heading directly to the tajiya village?" Hachiemon was clarifying a bit later  
"We are." Tsukiko nodded "Those men deserve a better resting place." a smile "Thanks for leading us here, is there anything we can do?"  
The youkai nodded his head negatively "No no no," he protested "Miroku-san is a friend, and he's helped me feed my den more times that I can count!"

"That's a rather unusual relation between a houshi and tanuki." Kagome couldn't help but point out  
"I've known his master for decades," the tanuki explained "so when he started to head out to search for a cure to his curse, Mushin-sama asked be to keep an eye on him." a shrug "But in the end we've helped each other countless times, that's why I don't really need anything more.."  
"Bah," InuYasha pointed out in his usual blunt manner "You may not need anything right now, but who's knows what the future is made of!" he stated, ignoring Shippou's snort at the affirmation "So if you need help in the future, just drop by my forest and find the House of Moon retainers from there."

The tanuki smiled, seeing that the proposal was sincere, then went on his way, while the pack headed toward the mountains where the tajiya village was nested.

¤.¤.¤

The pack arrived to the village within a few days, meeting and dispatching a few minor annoyance of the youkai kind, and helping people they met on their way – Kagome taking enthusiastically to the role of mentoring Kanna in what she knew about miko's arts.  
The young youkai had been a bit disheartened when Tsukiko had explained that she probably had difficulties with the healing part of her powers because of her link to Shadow's godly powers; but soon took heart in realizing that even if she found it more difficult that Kagome did, their alpha could still heal people with her reiki.

Since the pack had had two massive gain level in a short while, the training wasn't aimed toward gaining more power, but improving everyone's control on their previous and new abilities.  
Tsukiko was also continuing her lessons about soul fire, Sango seeming especially keen on it.  
"This is a power available to all humans," the tajiya explained when asked by InuYasha was she was so intent on learning something she didn't have any given advantage with contrary to, say, her lightning manipulation "it means the villagers could learn it."

Tsukiko could understand where the girl was coming from – after all, as she'd pointed out several times, tajiya were always fighting at a disadvantage.  
"While I don't mind sharing what I know about flames," the ookami warned her "you have to realize that there are beings that protect and regulate the usage of such flames."  
"What kind of regulation are you talking about?"  
"In our era, all flame active people are automatically counted as member of the underworld." Tsukiko explained

"Does it mean you were a yakuza in a previous life?" Kagome realized, eyes wide  
"Of course not!" the wolf contradicted, a wild smile on her face "I was merely number two of the largest mafia famiglia."  
The miko slumped to the ground.  
"Of course." she sighed "That explains so much."

"What do you mean?" Shippou wondered, not having noted anything screaming 'criminal' in their leader's attitude  
"When we were about six or seven, Tsuki-chan caught a little boy trying to pickpocket Saiyuri-chan, while we were in the mall. Next thing we know, she's dragging the poor boy away, taking the money back, and spending an hour lecturing him on the correct way to steal from people in the crowd, and how he didn't choose the right time of the day, or place, and so on..."  
Most of the pack turned toward their alpha, speechless – except for Miroku, who looked rather impress, and a far too interested Shippou.

"And it wasn't even the only time now that I'm thinking about!" the young miko affirmed "It wasn't always pickpocket, but I remember this drug bust that was on the news, and how you dissected all the ways they failed as criminals..."  
"To be fair us Vongola never stood for drug or human traffic." Tsukiko protested "It was just professional interest."  
"Alpha," Miroku stopped her protest "don't try to educate the lesser being to an art they can't appreciate."

The ookami seemed ready to protest – then nodded in complete agreement with the houshi, rendering the rest of the pack speechless once more.  
Except for Shippou, who had jumped on the wolf's shoulder and was whispering animatedly, and pleadingly in her ear, low enough that even the youkai and hanyou of the pack couldn't hear what they were talking about.

"Still," Sango was the first one to find her voice again "underworld or not I think it's a chance the village would have to take." a shrug "After all, as tajiya we're pretty much already warrior for hire, we're just lucky enough to be able to be picky about the jobs we take."  
"You're right." Tsukiko nodded "As long as you contain the knowledge among the village, the village itself could be your underworld affiliation." a smile "And even if other groups will sooner or later try to force you into an alliance or another, I think as tajiya you should be able to fend them off."

"The way you're talking, it doesn't seems that different from normal politics." Sango realized "I mean there's always some lord or another trying to ensure we'll work only for him, or that only men should learn our trade and so on..." the tajiya's smile was rather cold when she added "We've always managed to dissuade them from interfering in our affairs."  
"Sounds like the village was already on its way to the underworld anyway." Kagome laughed at the icy affirmation from her pack-mate

It was decided to stay for a few days in the village – Sango, now benefiting from Chaos Game, able to put her second recall point there just like the rest of the pack had already done the previous time they'd been there.  
Hisashi, who'd taken his brother's place as leader of the tajiya village, had welcomed the pack back warmly, especially happy about seeing his niece again.  
"You look better, child." he commented as they walked aimlessly through the village who still sported scars from Naraku's attack, but was faring far better than when she'd left  
"I found a family, no, a pack among them." the young tajiya answered with a smile "They made me realize that there was still a life outside of seeking revenge..."

From there, the girl went over their rescue of Kohaku, easily side-stepping the strangest revelations about Chaos Game and her alpha's holy nature, before going over the on-going exactions of Naraku up to their latest finding of the empty castle – and more importantly, the bones and weapons they were bringing back home at long last.  
They held the burial and sacraments the same day, Hisashi smiling gratefully at the pack "We're in your debt once more it seems. What you've just given us back is invaluable..."  
"Sango's ours too, now." Tsukiko smiled "We couldn't let her hurt needlessly."  
"That Naraku has a lot to pay for." the tajiya village sighed  
"That he has." Tsukiko nodded somberly, before switching topic "Sango's asked me to teach something to your village." she announced "Something that even humans can learn, and that could help your people protect themselves." she eyed the leader seriously "But there are restrictions you must be aware of before accepting for your village."

That evening, the hime spent explaining the youkai hunter about the underworld existing throughout the world, grateful for all the history lessons she and her twin brother from that life had had to go through before inheriting their famiglia.  
The village leader had been rather thoughtful, but by the next morning, he came to her to accept her offer.  
What Kagome had said as a joke – he confirmed more soberly.

Their village was small, but counted lots of powerful and well-trained individuals, and the fact they trained every village member equally, men or women, rich or poor, didn't sit well with those of power outside the mountains. There had been numerous attempts over the years at gaining power over them, but they'd always managed to stay independent, and had no intention for this to change.  
There was a reason why their village was out of the usual roads, secluded in the mountains and hidden in a dense forest – and it wasn't only to keep hidden from youkai, but humans too.

The pack's help with raising barriers had helped in that it made them even harder than before to find – but it wasn't the first time Hisashi, and his brother before him, had wondered about going even more in hiding, and start taking out spying or sabotage jobs among humans, like they'd heard some mercenary were doing in the north, getting known as shinobi...  
Hisashi gathered a core group for Tsukiko to teach – not simply the more powerful of the village, but also those that learned the faster, or could teach the best, in order for the knowledge to be past on to the rest once the pack hit the road again.  
In the few days since she'd uncovered her knowledge about soul fire again, Tsukiko had spent hours meditating, not only about her own flames, but but those around her, training once more her senses to feel the flames around her again.

As such she could tell at once that the villagers all had the more usual Flames of Sky rather than the nearly extinct Flames of Earth.  
History about the Flames, the Flames of Water extinction, and Flame of Earth near disappearance were as such only briefly talked about, the alpha focusing on what would be more important for the fighters in front of her.

¤.¤.¤

"Everyone has flame," she stated "as they're at the core of our life-force, but not everyone as enough flames to make active use of them, and some people will even have several flames, but here again not all flames will be equally powerful."  
Around her, she realized, her pack was listening to her voice will meditating once more, letting her voice guide them toward their core...  
"The Flames of Sky are colored as the rainbow," she went on, reminiscing while she talked about those first lessons with the cursed hit-men that would eventually become her husband "and each flame has a property, a power if you will, associated to it."

"And," she warned "while people with the same kind of flames tend to have the same temper traits, they can show this very same temper in completely opposite manner, so making assumption like 'this guy has this kind of flame, so of course his temper is going to be such and such' is stupid."  
The alpha smiled "And being stupid gets people killed, I don't think I have to remind tajiya of this."  
Everyone nodded seriously around her, and she finally went on to the flame description.

"Mist flames are indigo, and their power is construction." a smile "Those are typically used by illusion weavers often mischievous and imaginative."  
Shippou, eyes closed, smiled at the description, probably finding within himself the flames as she described them – a small frown as he realized those weren't his main flames, and he kept on meditating.  
Kana on the contrary, seemed rather surprised but happy with her flames.  
Even more surprising, the fact that both Kagome and Miroku seemed to share a faint affinity for the flamme, just like she did. Realizing that all those with spiritual powers shared the flame prompted her memory - all wizards had shared a mist flame too, it must extend to holy servant too seeing as reiki was but a special kind of spiritual energy just like magic was...

 **[Goal update:** 1 **/7]**

"Cloud flames are purple and have the ability to grow and propagate. Their users tend to be both very possessive, and quite individualistic."  
She smiled softly – realizing as she described them, that she could already feel the pull of a strong Cloud linked to her own flames. And really, knowing her father, it really wasn't a surprise to realize his element...  
"Lightning flames are green, and can be used to harden." she wasn't surprised when Sango's eyes opened in wonder, green sparks covering her hands before fluttering off "Their users are protectors."

 **[Goal update:** 2 **/7]**

"Sun flames," she went on, not even needing to close her eyes to feel the bond "are yellow and activate things. Be it the speed at which a wound is healing, or the rate at which a poison is transmitted." she added with a feral smile "And their users can be a bit single-minded in their passions or opinions."

 **[Goal update:** 3 **/7]**

Kagome's let out a small "oh" of wonder, but kept her eyes close, now clearly seeing her primary flame - and realizing that mingling with her mist secondary were a third color...  
"Rain flames are blue, and have the gift of tranquility." Tsukiko kept on, not surprise when Miroku lit bright, nearly liquid-like flames, while Kagome's nodded in understanding at her third flames "They can be used to great effect by diplomats and assassins alike."

 **[Goal update:** 4 **/7]**

"Storm flames are bright red," the hime moved on, keeping an interested eye on her beta "ans their disintegration ability is quite destructive." the flames were quite intense she mused, for a first activation – but so fitting of the hard-headed hanyou

 **[Goal update:** 5 **/7]**

"And finally..." she concentrated, smiling as she managed to call the flames that had played such a great role in her first reincarnation "Sky Flames are orange, and have the power of harmony."  
"Harmony?" Shippou wondered, a note of surprise in his voice – and as she could now feel the light orange flames in his soul, she understood his curiosity

 **[Goal update:** 6 **/7]**

"A Sky tend to gather his elements around him." she explained with a smile "Just like an alpha has a pack, a sky has guardians." a shrug "Or really, partners is a better word for it."

 **[Goal complete!** +50XP  
 **Goal update:** have every pack member get his main Flame active  
 **Bonus Goal complete!** +100XP  
 **Bonus Goal update:** have every pack member get his main Flame active before completing the Shikon no Tama]

 **[New skill** unlocked:  
 **Flame of Sky:** 5/100  
 **Flame of Storm:** 5/100  
 **Flame of Mist:** 5/100]  
[New ability unlocked:  
 **Sky Attraction (passive) :** +1 Luck and +1 Charisma every 10 level (evolve to active when Flame of Sky /=25)  
 **Storm Fury (passive):** +1 Strength every 10 level (evolve to active when Flame of Storm /=25)  
 **Mist Puzzlement (passive):** +1 Wisdom every 10 level (evolve to active when Flame of Storm/=25)]

She had of course gone into more details later on, using her own memories to give them examples of the numerous different uses each individual could find for his own flames. - and of course detailing several ways people could use to find and unlock their flames, then train them.  
It was only far later, when the pack retired in their own hut for the night, that they could talk a bit more about their own findings – Shippou, in particular, finding himself full of questions on his dual flames.

"You've spoke of a lot of people with multiple flames, but none were skies." he pointed out  
"Simply because it's really rare." she explained "I knew a sky-storm man, but didn't get to know him too well..."  
"Why?"  
A shrug "He threatened my family, I killed him." the ookami put out bluntly, not wanting to lie "Still, it's from him I realized that as a sky we could use our flames either separately or together."  
"There weren't any blood red flames in those you described." Shippou realized, remembering the aura she'd worn when saving Kanna

"Exactly. Fusing two flames together demands even more meditation, and you have to gain at least a basic grasp on each flame separately first." she explained, "But once you do, things like my own Flames of Wind can happen."

From there she went to explain why there were so many mist users in their pack, surprising them when she explain that she hadn't been attuned with those flame in her previous lives...

The next few days had been spent on doing more of the same thing – and while none of the group Tsukiko had been given to teach had activated their flames, several had managed to find the still passive flames in their core thanks to the hours of meditation done.  
The pack, as they had all found their own flames on the first, spent more time on the rest of their abilities, adding a bit of time of their daily meditation to focus on their flame but otherwise keeping in mind that while useful it wasn't an ability they could use just now – and as such, it was still important to keep up and improve those abilities they already knew how to fight with.

Sango had also gone to the local blacksmith with her weapon – Hiraikotsu still bearing the mark of Juuromaru's claws.  
While he'd been able to fix the boomerang – to her question about improving the weapon he mused a bit before explaining "I wouldn't suggest this usually, but since the village's weapons are made of purified youkai bones, there is someone who could help you." the blacksmith had finally explained "Your weapon as it is cannot be improved by a blacksmith, not even the one who made your friend's blade," he went one, gesturing toward Tessaiga  
"But there is someone?"

"A youkai specialized in medicinal and poisonous potions." the human blacksmith nodded "But beware, if you go... His way of enhancing weapons is said to be dangerous, and if you're not confident enough in you and Hiraikotsu... You'll loose it."  
The young tajiya nodded resolutely – mind already made.

When told about it, Tsukiko nodded "That blacksmith knows his topic." she commented ash Sango explained about her talk with him "And among us your weapon is probably the only one that could benefit from Yakuro Dokurou-sama's potions. If you're ready to face his trial, we'll go as soon as we leave the village."  
One last thing was done before the pack left the village – just like promised, Kagome had kept a track of the ongoing days, and manage to discreetly remind the pack of the coming birthday.

¤.¤.¤

As such, InuYasha spent the afternoon hunting with the tajiya, and the last evening was spent feasting, the women of the village presenting a braided obijime made from a youkai horse's mane, the black strands soft and robust, and small colorful bone beads ending both ends of the braid.  
Later in the evening, the pack profited of the privacy of their hut to give out their own gift to their leader.

Miroku had managed to find some scriptures when they'd visited the youkai market, Sango presented the alpha with an inro equipped not with medicines but a choice of poisons used by the tajiya. Shippou and Kanna had taken advantage of the youkai market too apparently, as they'd found an obidome for their alpha, the ornament consisting of a weight to tuck it in the obi and a chain with several wooden ornaments dangling on it – each one, they realized, representing a member of the pack.  
The two children, Kagome mused, must have spent a quite a bit for the accessory as it was clearly youkai made, and there were even several kind of woods – but seeing Tsukiko's smile as she promptly wore it made clearly made it worth for the two of them, as their smile were just as big as the hime's.

As for the miko – she had found her gift in their own era, a simple but elegant ankle bangle with small bells on it. While the bells were silent most of the time, they could be made to tingle softly with each move, and more importantly, grew louder for the wearer when in range of an illusion a barrier, or any other power susceptible to entrap the user's senses.

Finally, they were back on the road the next day, heading toward the famous youkai potion master – and after a few days in the right direction, the youkai hadn't been that hard to found as even humans could follow their nose to the waterfall where he did his brewing.  
What neither the blacksmith, nor Tsukiko had felt inclined to share was that all the youkai's preparation were highly alcoholic, and they found the youkai himself sleeping away in one of the multiple jar full of sake that were neatly aligned under the waterfall.

After being woken up rather violently by InuYasha, the old youkai finally turned his attention to Sango and her weapon.  
"Oh, a tajiya, and a beautiful one at that! It's been some time since one of the youkai hunter came to me!"  
"Another leacher..." Shippou complained in a low voice while Yakuro Dokurou examined both weapon and master  
Finally the youkai stepped back, and asked "What do you want me to do? Your weapon is already in working order as it is."

"If you're as good as they, you must realize it has been repaired recently."  
"And a very correct job was done for a human." the youkai complimented "Your weapon is just as strong as it was before."  
"And that's exactly the problem." Sango pointed out seriously" I wasn't strong enough, but neither was Hiraikotsu in our latest fight." a resolute nod "I can improve myself, but alone I can't overcome the weakness of my weapon."  
"And you don't want another weapon?"

"Hiraikotsu is mine." Sango protested "It was presented to me once I finished basic training with my father, and I've been using it ever since."  
"Ah but with the potions I use... You may well lose your weapon forever if you fail to strengthen it in time."  
"That's a risk I'll have to take." Sango answered, gaze clear and decision already made "I'd rather try and lose Hiraikotsu forever, than just discard it on the side and take on a new weapon."  
"Well," Yakuro Dokurou said, snatching the girl's weapon and dropping it in a jar where he'd just mixed a few liquids "We'll see if your will is strong enough then."  
He pointed at the jar, where the tajiya's beloved boomerang was rapidly melting under the poison action.

"Head in and subdue the youkai in here before your weapon is completely melted."  
Sango nodded, jumping on the edge of the large jar before being stopped by loud mewl – and Kirara jumping by her side.  
"You can't follow your mistress in this, little nekomata." the youkai pointed out, not unkindly – before widening his eyes at the loud protesting growl "Oh I see, well, if its a familiar bond..." he gestured at the cat and the girl, and both took the movement for the authorization it was, jumping in without another thought

 **[Challenge LV100! Live your life as it is...**  
 **Goal :** Deal with the youkai  
 **Reward:** +50XP, Hiraikotsu is upgraded upon completion]

The rest of the pack gathered round the jar, InuYasha soon loudly protesting "We don't see a thing! It's too dark!"  
Yakuro's only answer was to push the hanyou in a jar – said hanyou soon came out, in a random jar and looking rather affected by the potent sake; but commenting "Oh I can see her now!"  
Kagome and Miroku eyed the hanyou dubiously, then took notice of their alpha, who was comfortably propped against another jar, a cup in hands.

"Well," the priest was the first to comment "I guess we've got no choice?"  
"Seems so." Kagome nodded, still looking a bit bewildered by the vision, Shippou and Kanna both looking nearly asleep on the knees of their alpha – which would have made a rather cute picture, if not for the empty cups not too far "I really hope Jinenji keeps to infusions rather than sake..." she prayed before gulping the alcohol

Sure enough, as soon as the alcohol was drank – the pack felt itself thrown in the darkness, observing Sango from afar.  
Neko and tajiya we standing on emptiness, facing a hoard of youkai.  
But, Sango realized as she stayed in place, observing the youkai in front of her – while they felt angry, none of them made a move to attack.

"Are you... Hiraikotsu?" she finally asked  
"We are." one voice among the countless confirmed  
"Have we not fought side by side all this time?" another voice echoed  
"And yet you are ready to throw us away?" another protested "Dipping us in poison, watching as we disintegrate!"  
"I'm not!" Sango protested "That's why I'm here!"  
"Yet you're the one who let us become like this!"  
"Because I want us to grow stronger together."

The calm affirmation provoked a wave of violent protest, the youkai looking ready to attack "Are you saying we're weak?"  
The tajiya didn't let herself get thrown off by the youkai's attitude, instead coldly stating "Right now? Yes. You are weak." at that statement they started to rush in attack – before stopping in their track as she went on "And so am I. I can grow stronger alone, but like this..." a smile "We can grow stronger together."  
"Why?" the whispered question echoed in the darkness

Countless answers flashed through Sango's mind – for vengeance against Naraku? Because she didn't want to let go of the weapon her father had gifted her so long ago, her last memento of him? Because she was a tajiya, and tajiya fought youkai?  
A smile.  
"For the pack."

And suddenly, the darkness was receding, the countless youkai turning back to bones, one last voice echoing.  
"Your resolve has been received, Sango the tajiya, pack-member of the House of Moon."  
"Let's fight together, and grow stronger again."

 **[Challenge LV100 Complete!  
Reward:** +50XP, Hiraikotsu is upgraded]  
[locked-weapon **Hiraikotsu** (tajiya boomerang, LV100: +300 Damage) evolve into leveling-weapon Hiraikotsu (LV1: +10 damage, +3 Strength, +2 lightning damage, +1 Enhancement Space)]  
 **[Level up!** Hiraikotsu is now level 101!  
 _+210 damages, +33 Strength, +22 lightning damage ,+2 Enhancement Space]_  
 **[Hiraikotsu Enhancement** update:  
 **A Resolve Witnessed** _(empowered, LV100)_ **:** +100 Poison damage per second, lasts 50 seconds  
 _(empty space)_  
 _(empty space)_  
You currently have 3 **unused** **Stones:**  
 **Gokurachu-chou Crystallized Feather** _(normal, LV100)_ **:** +10 Air damage  
 **Solidified** **Poison** _(attuned, LV100)_ **:** +20 Poison damage per second, lasts 10 seconds  
 **Dragon Lucky Jewel** _(normal, LV100)_ **:** +50 to critical damage]

As she stepped out of the sake, Sango was smiling – all tension draining out of her as if she had been in a fight rather that simply talking. The situation faced with Hiraikotsu's personified will had been rather intense and now that it was over, she felt herself drained.

* * *

¤.¤.¤

* * *

Ryoichi and his group of misfits, as he'd taken to fondly call them, were still growing, and as such a stop by a human village had been warranted – if only to buy a few clothes for his latest addition to the group.  
Since it was a rather sunny day, something the kitsune knew wouldn't last much longer, he'd opted to let the children roam in a nearby field, each of the oldest in charge of several of the youngest, in a system that they were thankfully getting used to.

With how numerous they were growing, he found himself rather grateful for the organization skilled learned a life-time earlier, stuck in a guerrilla war. Who knew taking care of dozens of kids and animals was just as hard as keeping a military regiment organized?  
The humans had looked – first in fear at the invasion of youkai, then in disbelief when they realized most of them were children, and finally, when understanding the ones in charge only wanted to trade, they shrugged and got down to business.  
Money and traded goods were still good to take, even when coming from youkai after all.

While giving a few pelts of the hunting trips he took the children on, and getting the clothes they so direly needed, the kitsune was chatting amicably with the people around him, managing to make the the villagers relax and nearly forget he was a youkai.  
Stopping in front of a stall, he took a look at the vendor, then pointing at an ornament "How much for this?"  
Shinobu, who'd been following him like a shadow as was usual nowadays peered at the item, wondering "What do you want with female jewels and hair-pieces?" a leery glare don't tell me those rumors about kitsune being promiscuous idiots are true after all?"  
"For one thing," Ryoichi protested "Kitsune aren't promiscuous, we just love beautiful things. And for another, these are for my little twin-sisters! And I'm happily engaged with the most beautiful and dangerous ookami hime in existence, thank you!"

"You? Engaged?"  
The fox laughed "Well, if I had forgotten that cats don't rely on their sense of smell like us canine, you're doing a good job of reminding me!" he teased, before adding, more serious "But the youki of our engagement mark you should have felt, we'll have to up your training a bit..." and with that, he was back to bartering with the bemused merchant

As the afternoon was drawing to an end, and the children coming toward their leader group by group, the fox couldn't help but laugh "I'm pretty sure there's one more than this morning!"  
"This is Satsuki-chan," an old villager that had been talking with him answered in place of the children "her brother was drafted to war by a lord a few years ago..."  
"And never came back." the fox sighed "The stories all end up the same everywhere don't they?"  
"They seem to." the human concurred, eyes dark as he took in all the youkai around him – all the children without parents in sight – with a sigh he explained "She doesn't want to admit her brother isn't coming back, so she's living alone in their hut, stealing what she can... Several of us have tried to take her in, but she always refuse..."

"Accepting would be admitting he's not coming back." Ryoichi understood easily enough  
"I knew." the little girl, who until now had been half hiding behind Kenshin and Isamu, finally admitted "But I didn't want it to be true."

"There were boys hitting her, so we made them run." Isamu affirmed proudly  
"You weren't too rough?" the fox checked "Remember..."  
"Humans don't heal as fast as us so we don't play as rough with them." Isamu recited obediently – the younger kuro inu had been of of those who'd struggled the most with the usage of appropriate force when playing with youkai or humans

"They made the mean ones leave me alone!" Satsuki confirmed "And so I told them about my treasure..." at that her smile fell a bit "I thought it was a Shikon shard, and that if I prayed enough, brother would come back."  
What she held out was a simple piece of crystal.  
"But then they told me that it wasn't, and that if it had been bad youkai would have come to take it, because it's not truth that it answers wishes."

"They were right." his eyes wandered among the young youkai playing amicably around "Some of them were orphaned because of the usual territory conflicts, but most of them lost their parent because of this cursed jewel one way or another. It's making lots of youkai go mad, and leave the others to suffer the consequences..."  
"That's what they said." the human girl nodded "Well... Kenshin-kun's words were less complicated!" she exclaimed with a pout "But he said the same thing. That some youkai went mad, and that's how his parents died." her eyes darted around the children around them "That none of them had family left either, just like me..."

The villager and the kitsune shared a glance, somehow both of them guessing what was coming next.  
"They said you're taking them to a new home, but that they'll still be able to see each other..." a big breath "Can I come too?"

Bending to be at eye level with the girl, Ryoichi checked "They told you we're going to a very different place?"  
A nod.  
"And that if you go, you'll never come back?"  
Another nod.  
"There are still people who can care for you here, are you sure you want to come?"  
Third nod – quite resolute.

¤.¤.¤

Sighing in defeat, Ryoichi smiled "Well, then I guess there's no real problem with having one more with us..."  
With a large smile, Satsuki threw herself at the kitsune in a grateful hug, before running with her two new friends to gather the few belongings she had left.  
"Will it be alright?" the villager checked  
"Well, I was looking for youkai and hanyou's orphan because I knew the human ones would find people to take care of them more easily, but it can't hurt." a shrug "My country is fortunate in that we don't care about people's species, so finding her a family won't be too hard. I'll just have to be more careful about tiredness, hunger and cold..." he commented to himself

Shinobu, who'd followed the discussion in silence cut in "We'll be alright, but I really wonder how much we'll be by the time we get to your country, idiotic fox. You really are picking up any cute things with wide eyes, aren't you?"  
"I'm not! Or rather yes I am, but that's exactly what I was sent to do!"  
The villager nodded to himself – youkai and hanyou they may be, he'd seen enough kindness and care in those two eyes to let Satsuki leave with them without worrying.  
It had been so long since they'd last seen her smile like this...

As for Kurama, who'd stayed away for the village, complaining about the scents and the lack of riches, it was the last straw.  
"You're even taking humans now?" he protested "You'll regret it eventually," he promised "the world is far less kind than you seem to realize!"  
"It's precisely because I understand just how unfair the world is that I'm kind." the kitsune contradicted lightly – he knew the youko wouldn't understand, but he'd at least try to explain his reasoning

"I can't take it anymore," said youko sighed "you're interesting ,and the spars are fun... But all those brats around, and that annoying habit of helping people as you go... It's not even profitable!"  
As the youko was walking away, Shinobu eyed his alpha in all but name, wondering "You didn't even try to make him stay?"  
"I knew he'd leave one day or another." a shrug "He's not ready to see the world as I do, but I hope we'll meet again once he's matured a bit..." he added with a sharp smile "After all, like he said, the spars were nice!"

the yama-neko hanyou rolled his eyes at the fox's antics and went to find the new addition, quickly explaining to the girl their daily program – realizing as he did so that they'd had to adapt some of the lessons once more, as she only knew the bare basics of reading an writing, and didn't have any use for the youki training - even if learning meditation never hurt anyone...  
And with that the misfits were on their way again.

It was a few days latter that Shinobu finally asked something he'd been wondering about for a while – something the younger kids put on 'kitsune magic' without a second thought, but he knew better.  
"So... you've got all kind of strange powers."

Ryoichi raised an eyebrow but let the cat forge on, too amused by the situation – knowing how stubborn his little follower was, it had been but a question of time before he started to ask questions.  
"You make things appear and disappear, I've seen you stare into space an laugh as if you were hearing something funny, and I'm pretty sure you've disappeared yourself a few times..."  
"And what do you think?"  
"I don't know!" the cat admitted, clearly annoyed at the admittance "But I'm sure it all ties together one way or another!"

"You're right," the fox nodded "I've ability that ties to all of this." a smile "I've this thing called an **Inventory** where I can stock things," he demonstrated by getting out one of the spare fur pelts he kept for the winter "I have access to a Map that shows point of interest around us, and I can send and receive letter with this power instantly, among other things."  
"Which means... There's other people with that power then?" the smart cat understood swiftly "Is it something from your mysterious home?"

"Not a bad assumption," the fox mused "but no, it's something me an my fiance were born with." seeing the pointed ears lower in disappointment, he went on "a power we can partially share with our hunting partners... And even more completely with our pack."  
And the ears were up again – taking this as all the authorization needed, a hunting party invite was soon sent, and the wide-eyed yama-neko was soon familiarizing himself with the lighter version of **Chaos** **Game.  
**

And in Ryoichi's mind – there was little to no doubt the small hunting duo would evolve in a pack as soon as they'd have gathered enough XP for that. He was even looking forward to being stuck with the bossy hanyou as beta...


	16. Game On 30 XV Musou

Hi! The last one of the batch, like I was saying in the previous chapter announce ^_^  
if you're wondering about the hours between XIII and XIV : I was at the doctor, who prescribed like a list of tests to take O_o so I'll be at it tomorrow too, and Monday, and back to see him for the results Thursday... I don't like going to the doctor :-(

* * *

 **Chapter XV. October 1996 Musou**

Shadow's pack had been traveling at a leisurely pace toward Edo, keeping an ear to the ground for any whispers about the jewel, or the smallest whiff of Naraku's scent, stopping around to help people and clean out unruly youkai and even when needed persistent human bandits – when all the youkai senses of the pack suddenly caught the familiar scent they'd been looking for, now quite clear.  
With that, they altered their path toward the region where they now could tell Naraku or one of his spawn must be hiding.

Still – the timing couldn't have been worse, as the new moon was nearing once again...  
The pack settled down in an abandoned forest hut for the night, all already knowing they wouldn't spent a good night – the youkai's senses in alert because of their enemy's scent, the rest of the pack just as restless from the same knowledge, and InuYasha even more antsy as he felt so weak when human.  
Letting the hanyou meditate at the back of the hut, Miroku was about to raise some wards for the night when Tsukiko's head turned toward the door.

"There's wolves incoming," Shippou announced soon "but..."  
"I recognize Ginta and Hakkaku's scent, but Kouga isn't with them." the alpha completed worriedly – with Naraku's smell around, she was sure it couldn't mean anything good  
Sure enough, Tsume's pack was soon barging, visibly exhausted but quick to exclaim "We were following Naraku's scent, and had pretty much found the shiro, but there was a barrier..." Ginta explained  
"But while we were trying to break it, the one you described as Kagura arrived, with an army of animated skeletons..." Hakkaku continued "Kouga was caught so fast we couldn't do a thing!"

"She created some kind of vortex with the bones, and Kouga's stuck inside!"  
The pack shared glances, before Sango stepped up resolutely "Let's go then."  
Kagome nodded, soon followed by Tsukiko, who turned toward Miroku "Will you stay and keep the wards?"  
The houshi started to nod – but was interrupted by InuYasha stepping out despite looking human "I'll go too."

Ginta and Hakkaku eye's widened, as they remembered that the beta was indeed a hanyou – and their respect for him raised at the same time as he'd dared shown in front of them like that, and was ready to go and help save their alpha.  
Even if as sibling-pack they wouldn't betray the hanyou's trust, it was still a telling gesture.  
"Be reasonable, oji-san," the wolf sighed "Tsume's pack is one thing... But if Naraku was to caught sight of you like that..."

The beta frowned, knowing his niece was right but not liking it nonetheless.  
"I'll go in your place, Inu-nii."  
The hanyou startled at the affirmation, and his eyes went from the small pale hand on his arm toward the young youkai who was staring at him – a hint of fear still present, yet confident enough to stand tall.  
"Kanna?" Shippou protested from his place, surprised at the quite unexpected affirmation

"I want Kagura to see me." the shadow youkai stated firmly "I want her to see that I'm better, and free from Naraku." she affirmed "I want her to keep hoping, and find her way away from him..." she added in a near whisper  
And suddenly, they remembered – that young as she may look and be, Kanna was still the elder of Naraku's unfortunate children, and that clearly, she still saw the wind spirit as her little sister...

"Well then," Tsukiko smiled, turning toward the two exhausted wolves "Stay here and get better, us women have work to do!" she jested  
This time, InuYasha reluctantly nodded, and went back to the cooking fire, setting out bowls for the tired youkai that looked like even moving from the place they'd dropped on the ground to come near the fire would be an impossible effort.

 **[Secondary Quest! It's a Man's World...  
Goal: **rescue Kouga  
 **Reward:** +50XP per goal, +1 Enhancement Stone upon completion]

"I thought you'd protest more." Miroku admitted while flaring his reiki, wards soon raising around the hut  
"They aren't weak creature that need to be protected." the beta admitted reluctantly "And even little Kanna was ready to stand up on her feet."

The four female followed the wolves trail swiftly, soon coming upon a large vortex of skeletons and wind – Kagura must have gotten better with her skills, they soon realized, as earlier she hadn't been able to use her corpse dance and wind manipulation at the same time.  
While the wolf was still hanging on inside the vortex, he was getting tired – crushing the bones was good and all, but the skeletons also had swords, that prevented him from rushing out of the attack.

Still, Kouga wasn't stupid, and while defending himself from his relentless assailants, he'd been assessing the situation – finally coming to the conclusion just as Shadow's pack arrived on the spot, that there was but one way out...  
"Up!"  
The jump was rather impressive, but Kagura didn't let herself get surprised too long, retaliating by sending her undead army after him – the situation could have been sticky for the wolf, stuck mid air between a horde of skeleton and a wind user, if the four girls hadn't chosen that moment to attack.

Sango's newly improved Hiraikotsu swirled through the swarm of bones, the powerful poison now coursing through it eating away at them while the weak lightning imbuing it shocked the rest enough to make them drop pursuit.  
Kanna may still be a beginner with her abilities – she knew enough to grab her bow and purify the wind attack coming at the wolf enough that it simply grazed him rather than cut him in pieces, not yet at Kagome's level of power where the attack would have been completely nullified.

Kagome was the one who jumped toward Kagura, from Padfoot's back, nanigata already humming with power – while Tsukiko jumped and grabbed her fellow alpha, cutting his fall before it became too dangerous.  
After her first attack pushed the wind user back, Kagome simply stayed in front of her, weapon still at the ready, but not seeing the need to attack just now.

 **[Goal complete!** +50XP  
 **Goal update:** Deal with Kagura]

Because Kagura, seeing that Kagome was the one attacking, had soon found the one who'd fired the arrow that saved Kouga from grievous injuries, and by her wide eyes and slackening jaw, she clearing hadn't expected to see Kanna.  
The bewildered youkai looked around, eyes stopping on Tsukiko – remembering the terrifying power she'd fled from the day she'd lost the little girl, and suddenly she realized "You... You didn't kill her..."  
"I was saved." Kanna was the one to answer

Kagura started to laugh, a note of hope and madness at the edge of her voice "I thought you were dead for sure, but that maybe it was better for you, with how empty that bastard had made you..." the wind demon eyed Tsukiko "I told him you were the one to dispatch Kanna, but he didn't seem interested in you..."  
"Because he's so obsessed still by InuYasha and Kagome, he doesn't see the full picture." Kanna confirmed easily  
"They he'll die, won't he?" there was no mistaking the hope in the spirit's voice this time

Even Kouga could suddenly understand better what his fellow alpha had said after the slaughtering of his fellow wolf-tribe mates – because the girl in front of him was going through the motion only to cling to life, and seemed so desperate for freedom she had let her guard completely down in front of acknowledged enemies...  
After all – if for canine youkai pack was on of the most important things, elemental spirits were well known to be wild beings revealing in their individuality and mastery over their element, their very nature. Caging the wind? Yes, the wolf realized once more – Naraku really was a cruel bastard, Tsukiko had been right yet again.

The wind spirit may be going mad with her need for freedom – it didn't mean she was stupid, as was well proved by the fact she was still alive despite being the weakest of the children Naraku had let out.  
"I still have to fight you." she announced the pack as she spotted the buzzing insects favored by her master not too far  
"He still holds your heart." Kagome nodded, remembering what her childhood friend had revealed during their first encounter

The widening of the wind youkai eyes was confirmation enough.  
The next attack that came their way, easily avoided by the pack, held no killing intent at all – then, Tsukiko loosened her powers for an instant, fire licking the ground around her before lashing out at the saimyoushou unforgivingly.  
Knowing the annoying insects' disappearance would be swiftly remarked upon, and reinforcement sent, she rushed toward the undefended youkai, fire shrouding the both of them.

"There are ways to live without a heart." she stated swiftly "One would need you to bind your life to another, the other to promise yourself to follow the will of a god." spotting the insects already buzzing their way back, she added "Try to find out more on your own, if you manage to loose your little followers I'll answer your questions."  
With that, the flames around them flared in a seemingly violent manner, pushing Kagura back while the four female dragged Kouga off with them.

[ **Quest Complete!**  
 **Reward:** +50XP, +1 Enhancement Stone to be chosen]

"You're giving her a way out." Kanna affirmed rather than asked as they trailed back toward the hut where the rest of their pack was "Thank you."  
"Whether she takes it is her choice." the young goddess reminded the shadow spirit  
"I know." she confirmed "But at least now she's got a choice."

¤.¤.¤

"Are you alright, Kouga-san?" Kagome wondered, remembering that enchained to Naraku or not, she still had caused the wolf great sorrow  
"I'm angry." the wolf admitted "It was easier to stay angry at her before, but now that I've seen her like that..." a helpless shrug "Holding a grudge against her would be as stupid as holding a grudge against a hunted wolf. Of course the wolf will lash out if you try and kill him. Of course she'd attack to ensure her survival... Damn Naraku!" he finished in a frustrated yet helpless cry  
"Damn Naraku." Kanna nodded solemnly by his side, making the wolf smile

The two pack had wondered about staying around to search for Naraku's shiro – but the scent that had been leaking during the night, leading them here, was gone by now, and the usual shields the hanyou used to hide himself away back place, making it impossible to even find back the place where they'd fought against Kagura.  
"Still," Miroku was the one to point out as they took the road again "it's bit strange isn't it? Usually we only fin Naraku when he wants to be found."

"This time, there wasn't any grand scheme or anything like that." InuYasha nodded, seeing just where the houshi was going rather easily "As if he'd weakened for a day..."  
"You think it was the day he loses his powers?" Shippou understood "That it would be the same day as InuYasha would be some strange luck..."  
"Let's not get too sure of our theory just now." Kagome was the one to warn "After all nothing like that happened during the previous new moon..."  
"True," Sango nodded "still, it's something to keep in mind."

"Where are you going now that Naraku's scent is gone once more?" the miko asked, as for now the two packs seemed to be heading the same way  
"My claws are not enough anymore." Kouga admitted, clearly not liking the admission – wolf-tribe youkai tended to avoid relying on anything else than themselves after all "So we're going to the Sanctuary."  
Ginta and Hakkaku eyes widened at that, the beta hesitantly asking "Do you mean... we're going to the Wolf Cemetery?"

A decisive nod – the other two gulped.  
"Ah come on it's our ancestors they aren't going to smite us without reason!" the alpha protested at the fear clearly visible in his two pack-mates  
"So why go to this Sanctuary?" Miroku was the one to ask, scholarly curiosity clear in his voice  
"There's a weapon blessed by the past wolves that's hidden at the center of the cemetery, from what I've heard."  
"It's a child's tale!"  
"Well I'm checking this tale anyway!"

"And shouldn't you be heading Est if it's you ancestor's cemetery?" Kagome wondered "I mean most of the tribes are from there, aren't they?"  
"Most, but not all." Kouga corrected "The Sanctuary is in neutral ground, not too far from the Nikko youkai zone."  
"Uh, that's where Totosai-jii-san had his workshop, isn't it?" Shippou realized

"It is." Tsukiko confirmed "This region is seen as something of a neutral ground between the four Lands of the Cardinal Lords, so quite a few sacred ground were established around over the centuries. Because of that, even when the four Lands were still at war with each other, the region was always kept peaceful and protected."  
"So in our era?" Kagome wondered  
"It's the place where all meetings between the four Lords are held, greatly protected for its historical value, and has one of the biggest youkai market in all of Asia." Tsukiko explained with a smile  
"Wow. I hadn't realized the place was so important when we were there..." the miko whispered in awe

The Sanctuary allowed entrance only for the wolf-tribe, Kouga had explained – but nothing forbid them from traveling together to the place, as they had no real direction in mind, and so the two pack traveled together, using the evening to train and introduce Ginta and Hakkaku to the wonder of Chaos Game hunting party.  
The two wolves, who'd already grown stronger from their alpha's training method, which had been clearly influenced by Tsukiko's own, improved by leaps and bounds during the few days of travel.

As the two packs separated at the Sanctuary entrance, Tsukiko lingered while her pack settled to wait for their friends return.  
Their alpha's aura, they noted, seemed more powerful the nearer they'd come to the place – so they weren't too surprised when, eyes glowing green, she announced "I'm heading in, there's people wanting to chat with me."  
"Have a good time, alpha-chan!" Kanna waved her off, the rest of the pack echoing the sentiment in one way or another

"Only that brat could talk about speaking to the dead so casually..." InuYasha sighed in despair, not worried about the girl in the least – if there was one thing he was sure of, it was that no dead soul could do anything to her  
As for said brat – she was smiling as she entered the sanctuary, the souls of dead warrior welcoming around her, a whisper of "Seishi-hime..." echoing in the silence, audible only to her ears

She could feel Kouga and his pack not too far ahead, but in this place blessed by the dead, hiding herself from them was but a thought, as shadows seemed to swirl around her like a lover's embrace.  
The further you entered the place, the more powerful the wolves, with ornate armors and weapon made to kill rather than appear pretty – and the young wolf, resolutely, was heading toward the heart of the Sanctuary, soon awakening the guardian of the weapon he'd come to hopefully obtained.  
While Ginta and Hakkaku reacted in fear at the large three-headed wolf that looked as if made from rocks and fire, Tsukiko's eyes widened for a far different reason...

"So cute!"  
"Well I guess it is only fitting for a goddess of death to like a beast from hell." she turned toward the spirit that was manifesting by her side – long dark hair tied simply in the back, and luminous silver eyes, alpha marking on the cheek but more importantly a familiar symbol on his brow  
"An ookami, eh?" she wasn't too surprised  
"Indeed." the tall warrior smiled in amusement "Though it's been forgotten through the ages, our wolf-tribe were originally descendant from hanyou living with their youkai siblings."  
"Your children?"

The ookami nodded proudly "They've changed with the year, but still they endure."  
"And all of you keep an eye on them."  
"Our souls are long gone..."  
"But your will persist." the hime understood easily enough – after all, linked to death as she was, it wasn't the first time she encountered spirits in the mortal realms

Some were souls stuck there, and had to be purified ans helped to pass on or destroyed before they could cause harm – but others were echoes, just like the spirit here were – souls who'd gone on, but rather than let their memories get erased during reincarnation, chose to left them behind in the mortal realm.  
This wasn't an easy feet to achieve, as those soul lose quite a bit of power in the process, which for all the youkai around her probably meant they'd been sent back as humans when reincarnated – and it was only achieved by those possessing a powerful strength of will.

"Will you lend me your powers Seishi-hime?" the ookami's spirit asked as they witnessed the fight on-going beneath them  
"You know you cannot interfere too much with the living." the goddess reminded  
"I know." a feral smile "But I don't intent to freely give out power. That, he'll have to work for himself..."  
In his eyes, she read what he intended – and with a smirk of her own, let the godly powers pool around her...

Meanwhile, Kouga and his pack were fighting, both younger wolf far stronger than before but still not up to Kouga's level – while the alpha had manage to move so fast that the stone guardian had been taken by surprise, his powerful body thorn in parts.  
"He's already powerful, for one so young." the ookami commented, the lightness in his tone denied by the look of intense focus in his eyes  
The young alpha had nearly managed to grab the metallic claw hovering behind it's guardian when he realized from the corner of his eye that the discarded stone part he'd thought dead had instead revived and was about to burn his pack to cinders...

The frustration in the young wolf's e yes was evident – but after one longing glance toward the shiny weapon, he turned back, claws tearing apart the guardian once more.  
"So you chose your companion over the Goraishi of your ancestors?"  
"What kind of alpha would I be if I abandoned my pack simply for a weapon?" Kouga bit back heatedly

"Even if it means the Goraishi is forever out of your grasp?" the three-headed wolf asked – Kouga wincing when he realized the youkai was once more whole, and worst of all, that indeed the weapon behind him had indeed disappeared  
"Bah." he shrugged "What would be the used of a weapon gained by sacrificing my own pack?" he snorted "I am Kouga of the Eastern tribe, alpha of the Tsume Pack, and what use is an alpha without his pack?"

"Ah, not only strong," the ookami smiled "but understanding the Laws of the Pack too." he added in approval  
Beneath them, said young alpha stayed in front of his pack as the next attack was unleashed, claws at the ready – and none were more surprised than himself when around his own claws, metallic ones appeared, and the desperate attempt at breaking the attack toward him instead came out as powerful as InuYasha's Kaze no Kizu, lightning crackling along each claw and tearing through the guardian.  
A stunned Kouga stared as the weapon disappeared as soon as he slipped out of his fighting position.

"You've gained the approval of your ancestors, young alpha." the ookami stated, the spirit elegantly jumping from the place he'd been chatting with Tsukiko to the ground where the three-headed wolf had just been destroyed  
Behind him Tsukiko followed – making the wolves eyes widen in wonder, then soften in realization that of course the hime could enter a graveyard, they had after all witnessed her powers in their den, back when she'd given a new life to one of the dying pup.

"Aw..." said goddess was complaining, digging in the heavy layer of dust the last attack had created, before finally finding what she was looking for "Poor dear he's all tired!"  
Kouga nearly face-planted when he realized that the ookami hime had a pup in her arms.  
A stone, three-headed pup.  
"He'll grow back in a few months," the ookami spirit reassured the goddess, clearly amused by her reaction "after all, it would be a bother if we'd have to replace our protector each time someone came to seek our approval..."

"Who are you?" Kouga wondered – after all he hadn't expected an ookami in the wolf-tribe sacred place, yet it was clear the youkai had been here for a young time  
"I am YamaInu." the ookami stated, mirth in his eyes at the surprise clear in the young wolf's demeanor "And yes, those claws were originally mine."  
Tsume pack immediately bowed at the revelation, into babbling " You're... the legends say... you're our first ancestor aren't you?"  
"I don't know about first, I had parent too you know?" the ookami laughed "But I was the one to create the tribes." he confirmed more soberly

"But... how are you an ookami?" Hakkaku asked timidly "I mean..."  
"I was born a daiyoukai." the spirit nodded in confirmation "And I had three mates in my life."  
The affirmation was met with surprised – until Tsukiko pointed "Well... ookami mates for life, like most daiyoukai, but there was never anything said about monogamy you know..."

"My first mate was ookami just like me," the spirit explained "and from her descendants, the line of Fang has thrived ever since." Kouga's eyes widened – the House of Fang had held the Eastern Cardinal title for millennia after all "But my two other mates were a human girl, who was rejected by her own by fear of her powers and an ookami hanyou." a smile "And these two women bore me the children that eventually led to your tribes."  
"But... we don't have human days like hanyou..." Ginta whispered  
"You used to, but the human blood was diluted with time. What you still do have is the nearly human form only daiyoukai and their hanyou usually have."

Kouga nodded, then asked, rather respectfully for him "Still... while it is interesting... why come out now? From our legends, I'd think you don't appear for just anyone do you?"  
The ookami nodded in approval, and explained "As soon as you stepped in this Sanctuary with the intention to take the Goraishi, all of us ancestors have tested your resolve and worthiness." a smile "And thanks to this Seishi-hime lending us her powers, I've also witnessed your life and came to a conclusion."  
The ookami stepped toward the young alpha, youki flaring around him.

"With you, finally, the lines of my children can be united once more."  
Tsukiko smiled, but wasn't as surprised at the three jagged lines on the wolf-tribe youkai's brow – marking him for all to see as the heir to the House of Fang.  
"It do think it's the first time a cardinal Lord will have an heir that isn't daiyoukai yet." the ookami laughed "But I'm sure you'll grow into one just fine."  
"I will." the young alpha promised solemnly

¤.¤.¤

With that, the spirit turned toward Tsukiko, thanking her once more, before slowly disappearing.  
The goddess reluctantly let go of the stone guardian – that, Kouga had to admit, looked much cuter now that he wasn't as tall as a daiyoukai true form and murderous but young and playful – and they headed back toward the graveyard entrance, a slew of notifications appearing in glowing green letters...

 **[Secondary Quest Complete! The Strength of the Pack...**  
 _Kouga has proved both his fighting-prowess and worthiness as an alpha_  
 **Reward:** +50XP, leveling weapon Goraishi obtained]

 **[Event LV150 Complete! The Strength of the Wolf...**  
 _YamaInu has passed his judgment_  
 **Reward:** +50XP, Kouga unlocks the **"Heir of the House of Fang"** title]

[ **"Heir of the House of Fang"** title activated  
+1 Endurance +1 Agility, +2 Charisma]

 **[Level up!** Goraishi is now level 16!  
 _+42 damage, +6 Agility, +5 lightning damage, +1 Enhancement Space]_  
 **[Goraishi Enhancement** update:  
 **Ancestor's protection** _(empowered, LV100)_ : +100 Blood Drain]  
 _(empty space)_ ]

 **[Level up!** Kouga is now level 129!  
 _+1SP]_  
 **[Level up!** Ginta is now level 78!  
 _+1SP]_  
 **[Level up!** Hakkaku is now level 74!  
 _+2SP]_

 **[Political System** update!  
 **Kouga** _(alpha, LV129)_ is now marked as Heir of the House of Fang]

As the young alpha was thanking her too, having realized from the ookami spirit's words that what had been done had only be possible thanks to the goddess, laughed and pointed out "I'm not the one who's going to meet a Cardinal Lord he's never seen before to explain him that a distant shared ancestor has deemed fit to name me his heir instead of his own spawn..."  
At the panicked expression the other alpha suddenly wore, he hadn't yet realized that part of the deal, so she felt compelled to reassure him.

"Don't worry, the current Hime of the East had no wish for the burden of inheriting that title, so you won't have problems on that matter, and her father is rather intelligent and open-minded." she eyed the small pack "Still, it won't hurt for us to go over a few of the basic rules of politeness among noble society and find you a traditional attire for when you meet him."  
As they talked, they'd managed to meet up with the rest of Shadow Pack, who'd been able to guess at the latest happening thanks to Chaos Game.

"So... We're giving a make-over to Kouga?" Kagome was soon asking, starts in her eyes – the wolf started to step back softly, but was stopped by Tsukiko's firm grip  
"Of course. After all, he's got to make a good first impression!"  
"Still," Sango was the one to ask "aren't the daiyoukai going to protests? I mean, no matter how powerful Kouga is..."

"I'm still a youkai." the wolf nodded, before letting his youki flare – and the usual tail in his back suddenly split into seven tails  
"How is it possible?" Kagome wondered "I mean according to Chaos Game your supposed to be Three-Tailed, right?"  
"That's because youkai don't gain tails the same way daiyoukai do." Tsukiko explained "And Chaos Game has used the daiyoukai power ladder."

"For youkai, their tails indicates how far along they are on their way to become daiyoukai." InuYasha added "Which takes not only power, but also the ability to switch form."  
"Because the ability to go from humanoid form to true form is one of the biggest difference between human-looking youkai like the wolf-tribe and daiyoukai." Shippou took over  
"Generally," Tsukiko continued "a nine-tailed youkai is around the power of a four-tail daiyoukai. And once they are recognized as daiyoukai, their powers will of course continue to grow, just like any other daiyoukai, unlocking powers as they grow..."  
"But physically, for us canine, there's only ever nine tails." Shippou explained "Even for daiyoukai who've got more than nine different powers..." a shrug "Nobody really knows why."

"In other words Kouga isn't that far off from becoming a daiyoukai already." Miroku concluded, the knowledge putting his mind at ease – loud and brash like InuYasha the young wolf may be, he was still a good friend after all  
"You know," Tsukiko added thoughtfully, coming back to Kagome's earlier question "I think I know just the person to help us prepare Kouga to a meeting with the Lord of the East..."

InuYasha was the first to guess just who she was talking about, and his dog ears soon turned down in apprehension – it wasn't that he didn't like her, but meeting such a force of nature was a rather unique experience...  
"Obaa-san did invite us to come and visit!"

While InuKimi had indeed invited them, the pack still wondered just how they were supposed to do that, since she had explicitly stated that her palace was warded. Tsukiko had giggled, making InuYasha wonder if the shiro inu could change people's attitude even from afar, and explained to them that they had been given a key to the wards.  
The youki they had been marked with wasn't only a mark of favor apparently, but could also act as a homing device – with that, all were given an impromptu lesson about dissociating the different strands of youki attached to their own aura that acted as so many different indicators for youkai.

Those strands were generally attached both spiritually and physically, since youki was a mix of both energies, and as such could left a visual trace on the body, even if it didn't most of the time – the more evident example being the pack, alpha and heir mark, but also Tsukiko's engagement mark...

Soon enough, Shadow's pack had found where the regal inu had left her youki, making appear a small blue moon in that place, which had ended up being on one of the pinkie's phalanx, and manage with various level of success to flare their own youki in the mark.  
And indeed getting back a sense of direction from the action.  
They had nearly reached the place InuKimi's youki urging them toward when the two packs met up with another familiar group of travelers...

¤.¤.¤

"You pick up the strangest allies, musume." Sesshoumaru commented in place of greeting, a raised eyebrow the only sign of his appraisal of Tsume pack  
Meanwhile, Kanna, Shippou and Rin were happily reuniting, the three children chatting excitedly about their own pack's latest adventures.  
As if called by the excitation the large group was engendering, a large form was soon darting out of the sky "Both my son and grand-daughter have come to visit at the same time!" InuKimi commented "What a wondrous event!"

"It's too late to run away," InuYasha commiserated with Kouga from the side "beside it's good training."  
"We couldn't have met a small daiyoukai first?" Ginta complained "You know, non-scary ones, like Shippou-chan?"  
"Well, you've met Kanna..."  
"She's both a youkai and a miko, what isn't scary about that!" Hakkaku protested "Beside there aren't daiyoukai spirits are there?"  
"Well, there are spirits as strong as daiyoukai, but its not as if they have a true form..." InuYasha mused

Soon, InuKimi had opened her palace for Tsume pack too, and most had been rather surprised to realize that her palace was not anywhere on the ground but firmly implanted in a large bank of clouds...  
"Well," the shiro inu commented, turning her attention toward her son first "I've got a rather good idea about the reason for your presence..."  
"I'm seeking more knowledge's about this Tenseiga's Meidou Zangetsuha." the Lord of the West confirmed

"And you my dearest?"  
"Well, our sibling-pack alpha suddenly finds himself with a rather big inheritance on his shoulders..."  
"That must be quite the story." the inu laughed, realizing that there really was a youkai, albeit a powerful one, wearing the mark of heir for the House of Fang in front of her  
"We thought he couldn't simply barge in in front of the Lord of the East... So who better to give him a crash course in daiyoukai etiquette than my favorite obaa-san?"  
"Sounds like fun!" InuKimi nodded enthusiastically "Let's just start your father on his training and get to more interesting things!"

Still, despite her affirmation, all of Shadow pack caught the glimpse of worry the mother had in her eyes, and so they retreated a bit in the garden, leaving their alpha with her family.  
"Toga entrusted me with this Meidou-seki," the old Lady of the West explained, turning their attention to the large black stone hanging around her neck and emanating, for Tsukiko at least, a rather familiar feeling "telling me to open the path for you should you come and seek training..."

Her voice may be light-hearted, her eyes were dead serious as she went on "This is a path full of danger, for a lesson I think you're well on your path to learn on your own... Will you still take it?"  
"I will take, and overcome, any test he left behind." Sesshoumaru affirmed  
"Then so be it."

With that the stone around InuKimi's neck flashed, and a large youkai stepped out – it could have been mistaken for a kuro inu at first glance, but between where it came from, and the familiar feeling his youki gave off, Tsukiko knew better.  
Indeed – Tenseiga's new attack did open a path behind the youkai, but he wasn't hurt in the least like he should have.  
"This is a hell-hound," InuKimi commented from her throne "Right now, Tenseiga can neither heal nor injure it."

The hell-hound seemed to look around, a spark of interest felt by Tsukiko when it caught sight of both Kanna and Miroku, before it's attention was caught by Rin.  
Faster than most could see, the hound had pounced, and rushed back in the dark path opened by Sesshoumaru's blade.

"You are aware of the risks of following that beast in there?" InuKimi reminded rather than checked as Sesshoumaru prepared himself to jump after his ward  
"I've got a dog to kill." the shiro inu stated in lieu of confirmation, making his mother sigh and settle back in her throne as her son disappeared in the dark  
Tsukiko then stepped forward "Don't worry too much obaa-san," she smile "A little walk through hell isn't enough to get rid of chichi-ue."

"Of course I know that much!" InuKimi proudly proclaimed – but worry was still present in her eyes  
"Beside," Tsukiko added "I'll be there to drag him home if needed."

 **[Secondary Quest! Into the Darkness...**  
 **Goal:** enter the Meidou  
 **Reward:** +100XP per goal, +1 Enhancement Stone upon completion]

The Meidou closed just behind the young goddess and her familiar.  
"You're not worried for your alpha?" InuKimi couldn't help but check "I mean she just got herself stuck in hell..." she felt compelled to point out  
"I think she just wanted some father-daughter bonding time." Kagome affirmed without a hint of worry "After all, if there is one place I don't think she can be stuck in, it's hell."  
Seeing the lack of worry of the pack, that wasn't carelessness but rather full confidence in their alpha, InuKimi felt her own worry recess, even if she still kept an eye on the Meidou stone around her neck that let her check on the two's progress.

She may have known her darling grand-daughter was in fact a goddess, she had never seen her powers, contrarily to the pack, so their calm assurance that everything would be alright was rather soothing.  
Still, having something else to focus on wouldn't be amiss, rather than worry needless in front of her stone – and so, clapping enthusiastically in her hands, she stated "Well, while they're on their family trip, should we get to the second reason you're all here?"

Kouga, who'd been hopping he'd been forgotten with this hell business, nearly whimpered.

Meanwhile, Tsukiko and Padfoot had stepped in hell far enough from Sesshoumaru that they could see the youkai finally dispatching the hell-hound, using the healing powers of his sword – the sword ability to heal the living translating into an ability to hurt the dead.

 **[Goal complete!** +100XP  
 **Goal update:** find your path in the darkness]

Tsukiko landed by her father's side with Padfoot, smiling softly at the way her father was checking on the newly rescued Rin.  
"Padfoot can carry her." she suggested  
Sesshoumaru nodded by her side, not needing her to explain that she wouldn't interfere in whatever laid ahead of them in the road – this was a test for her father after all.  
Still, she felt compelled to point out "Hell is no place to the living."  
The inu youkai understood she didn't meant that for him – Tenseiga protecting her bearer from the harshness of the world of the dead – and glanced worriedly at his charge, reminded that the little girl was far more fragile than both him and his daughter.

Merely glancing back was enough to know they wouldn't be going home that way, as the Meidou was closed – and a multitude of beasts from hell were gathering, blocking the already crumbling path.  
Which left only one way – ahead, deeper toward the darkness.

Within moments, a keening whine from Padfoot alerted Sesshoumaru – hurrying toward his young charge, his eyes widened as he realized that the little human girl wasn't breathing anymore, body getting colder by the moment. He swiftly unsheathed Tenseiga, only to realize that no pall-bearer were in sigh.  
That right now, Tenseiga was powerless to heal his ward.

The darkness around them deepened, as if called by the young girl death, and with a rush of power not of this world, Rin was taken once more, deeper into hell.  
"The deeper you go in the darkness, the farther you walk from the Living Realm." Tsukiko pointed out to her father – knowing it wouldn't make change his path, but warning him nonetheless

 **[Goal complete!** +100XP  
 **Goal update:** Catch up with the youkai who took Rin]

The inu youkai nodded, eyes widening slightly as he took in the changes his daughter had been going through as they proceeded in the darkness.

The golden eyes so like his own, if warmer, were now glowing emerald barely speckled in gold, and had been ever since they'd stepped in the Meidou – but now, even the usual immaculate white of her hair was receding, replaced by a dark black shining with silver echoes, only the tips of her hair remaining it's usual color.  
And those were only the physical changes – as the most marking aspect was of course the power. While very powerful for a pup so young, she still had been a young daiyoukai in the living world – but here in the dark, the power he could guess at was far more alien, and powerful than what he knew...

¤.¤.¤

"Your powers didn't react like that in chichi-ue's tomb?" he remarked  
"It was merely between the realms." Tsukiko explained "My power were stronger, but not unbridled."  
Not too long after, the shiro inu sped up, a new scent the only clue they were drawing near to their goal.

 **[Goal complete!** +100XP  
 **Goal update:** defeat the Master of Hell]

Until suddenly, the narrow road they'd been following was replaced by a large area of rock, and the darkness replaced by blinding light, letting Sesshoumaru see the tall, black silhouette of an oni, a familiar body in hand, surrounded by piles upon piles of desiccated bodies.

 **[Goal complete:** +100XP  
 **Goal update:** defeat the master of hell]

Eyes narrowing in determination, Sesshoumaru drew Tenseiga, the blade humming with healing power – and the tall oni was swiftly cut down, the small form of Rin easily caught up by the daiyoukai as he fell down down toward the ground.  
"She... isn't waking up." Sesshoumaru finally whispered – realizing that defeating the tall oni hadn't brought the little girl to life like he had expected

 **[Goal complete!** +100XP  
 **Goal update:** find your way in the darkness]

 **[Level up!** You are now level 183!  
 _+1SP]_

"Tenseiga is a blade that heal." Tsukiko stated, adding with sorrow in her eyes "But even for a blade gifted with such a wondrous gift as her... Bringing back the dead, isn't something she can do more than once."  
Sesshoumaru's eyes widened in disbelief and realization at the statement, not even realizing that Tenseiga had slipped from his grip, falling blade first in the ground.  
Had he really though that he could cheat death always and always, he wondered, when his own daughter had enforced ever since their first meeting how the power over death wasn't one to be taken lightly...  
Had he really thought that the power to give life was so useless that he'd headed deep within hell only to grant the already powerful blade the power to take life too?

As if acknowledging both her wielder's grief, and the fact that he was finally acknowledging her for her proper worth for the first time, Tenseiga pulsed.

 **[Bonus goal complete!**  
 _Sesshoumaru has finally understood the value of his blade_  
 **Reward:** +200XP, Tenseiga is upgraded upon quest completion]

Attention drawn to the blade, Sesshoumaru's eyes widened when he realized that the light that had illuminated his fight against the master of hell was gathering around the blade. And suddenly, he realized – it wasn't that the darkness that had recessed earlier, but the shimmer of the countless souls around the oni that he'd seen.

Souls all drawn to Tenseiga, as if beggin to be saved...  
Decision made, Sesshoumaru took back his blade, never letting go of Rin's body, and the light swirled around them, as the mountain of bodies turned into dust.

 **[Bonus goal complete!**  
Sesshoumaru mastered Tenseiga large-scaled healing ability  
 **Reward:** +200XP, Tenseiga's approval upon quest completion]

"Hell is a cruel place." Tsukiko whispered as she watched the soul being purified "Where souls are tormented by the different youkai and oni inhabiting it while waiting to be reincarnated."  
"Why do something like that, then?"  
"Brother can't be everywhere at the same time," Tsukiko sighed "so he established different realms and set them to be taken care of by his servants." her eyes took a hard glint "Here we've got the typical example of servants thinking they know better than they master what their job should be."  
"And now that you're here?"

His daughter's smile was full of teeth, and bloodthirsty enough to confirm their family link "Well I should be a kind sister and ease a bit brother's job, shouldn't I?" she wondered  
The power that had been gently swirling around her up until now surged at her call, a blatant challenge to the keepers of hell that didn't go unnoticed.

¤.¤.¤

The darkness that had settled back with Sesshoumaru's purification of the souls tortured by the oni was soon disrupted once more, the light nearly blinding as multiple oni, all similar to the one he'd just patched, answered the call, their bounty of crying souls around them.  
"Who dares disrupt our duty!" a voice boomed in what would have terrified any normal being  
"You have forgotten your place, servants." Tsukiko answered back, scorn dripping from her voice "And apparently you can't even recognize your better."

Behind the large oni, the daiyoukai realized, hell-hounds, pall-bearer and a multitude of other creatures of hell had gathered, thorn between their fear of the tall oni and the natural respect the tiny figure standing against them was inspiring them.  
KageShin slid out of its sheath, and all the oni were gone, in an elegant and deadly dance of the sword, the blade cutting the self proclaimed masters of hell and purifying the souls they held on in the same gesture while the rest of hell's citizen watched on.  
Cleaning her weapon in one wrist movement, she promptly put it back to its scabbard, before turning toward them.

"You are all servants of Death, do you remember what it means?"  
The silence that answered was both fearful and respectful.  
"You are to take the soul of those whose life has come to an end." she stated in a cold voice "And those souls are to be taken to Death Islands to await reincarnation." she reaffirmed  
"We do not take souls without a reason, or on a whim." she reminded them "We do not torture without reason souls that are simply passing between the Mortal Realm and Death islands!" she stated in a louder voice, fury barely contained within her voice and eyes

"The master..." on small yet strangely brave pall-bearer stated "They told us to do so... That it was the only way to purify the tainted souls..."  
"They were the tainted ones!" Shadow's voice echoed viciously "It's the reincarnation process job to clean these souls, only the lost ones were supposed to be kept here!" she stated clearly, before her eyes softened "Still, the leader you were given are the one who one who led you astray, which is why you haven't been cut down with them." her power echoed once more, as she called out "Wrath."  
He had already seen the man once, Sesshoumaru realized as his daughter's disciple appeared, completely solid rather than a simple spirit in this realm right outside of the Immortal Realms.

"Little Shadow."  
"I've been cleaning up a bit around." she stated to the tall, dark-haired man "Would you mind staying here for a bit reminding them of how to do their job?" a smile "I'm sure brother will sent one of his own as soon as he can."  
"Of course." Wrath nodded, eyes rather hard "I'm going to shape up this little organization, don't worry about it." his smile was rather disturbing as he affirmed that, making all of the otherworldly denizen shuffle in distress  
With that, the man called Wrath turned toward the crowd "Scram for now!" he instructed "I'll be catching up with you as soon as I've seen the Shadow out."

Knowing better than to go against one clearly much more powerful than them, they did as they were bidden – and Wrath turned toward his mistress "Well, I'm going to take a look around to see how bad things are." his eyes didn't mask his contempt as he looked around "Given the state of things, I think you just gave me at least a decade worth of work..."  
"Sorry about that," the goddess winced, powers once more settling around her "but with how bad things were, I could only think about you to put a bit of order down there."

"Naturally." Wrath nodded – he had after all been the military leader of a powerful nation, he knew out to put things in order  
With that affirmation, and a parting nod, the holy disciple was gone, soon disappearing in the surrounding darkness – and another presence manifested itself, making Tsukiko's eyes widen.  
"Brother!"

Sesshoumaru eyed the tall man, dark hair lightly fastened in his back, blood red eyes calm yet showing a bit of warmth when he caught sight of the young goddess.  
"Little sister." he greeted back "I felt your show of power from the Islands, you're growing well."  
A hint of blush tinted Tsukiko's cheek in pink, and she protested "I was merely taking advantage of being in a place were I could stretch my gifts."

"Yet once more, you're doing so in a way that helps with my duties." he noted with a fugitive smile, before turning his attention toward Sesshoumaru "How quaint..." he whispered "A mortal so far in hell," his eyes strayed to Tenseiga "but then again you're no normal mortal."  
The daiyoukai felt the sword by his side pulse as if in greeting to the god, and said god commented "After all, you've managed to do what even your sire couldn't in gaining Tenseiga's approval."  
"Tenseiga... didn't approve of otou-sama?" Sesshoumaru couldn't help but parrot, stunned at the affirmation

"She didn't." Death confirmed "She stayed by his side because she knew she wouldn't be used without reason, but never did the Great Dog manage to learn the true value of this blade."  
"Understanding the value of both giving and taking, of life and death." Tsukiko echoed  
"He was far too attuned to life to truly understand death." Death confirmed

The otherworldly being eyes swept toward the little girl the daiyoukai was still cradling in his arm, and stepped toward her, cold finger brushing a few stray hair out of her face, power pulsing faintly under his touch.  
"You have learned a harsh lesson by venturing so far into hell." the god stated  
On Rin's brow, the symbol of the deathly hallows pulsed once before disappearing – and the girl's chest started to move once more.  
Sesshoumaru's eyes widened, and Tsukiko wrapped her brother in a warm hug.

"Thank you."  
"You could have done the same," Death stated "and I'm pretty sure Toga entrusted another blessed item to his mate.  
"I would have, and he has." the girl confirmed, still pressed against him "But you're the one who did it first, and that's far more valuable."  
There was no mistaking the soft smile this time as a mischievous light made his eyes gleam "Well, what's the point of being a god if I can't even bend my own laws from time to time?"

Staring in wonder at the revived girl, the daiyoukai affirmed, with more humility in his voice than ever before "I'm forever in your debt."  
Shaking his head negatively, the dark-haired god contradicted him "Of course not. After all, your already taking care of my little sister." with a gentle push, he sent the younger goddess back toward her father, reminding them "You should head back. This isn't a realm for the living, and Chaos binding on your soul can't be undone too long or this body won't keep together much longer."  
The god gestured toward Tenseiga one last time before disappearing in the shadows "You should try that attack of yours once more."

¤.¤.¤

Sesshoumaru nodded, and reluctantly settling Rin on Padfoot's back, he slashed Tenseiga.  
The Meidou Zangetsuha that opened wasn't a crescent moon anymore, but a gibbous one, more than half-full...  
This was what he'd set out to accomplish, the daiyoukai realized, yet in the light of all that had happened, it seemed like a rather inconsequential change. He shared a glance with his daughter, and the small group stepped in through the Meidou once more, getting out in InuKimi's garden.

 **[Quest complete!**  
 **Reward:** +100XP, +1 Enhancement Stone]  
[locked-weapon **Tenseiga** (LV200: +500 Healing power, +1000HP) evolve into leveling-weapon **Tenseiga** (LV1: +10 healing, +3 Wisdom, +2 spiritual resistance, +1 Enhancement Space]  
 **[Level up!** Tenseiga is now level 201!  
 _+410 healing, +63 Wisdom, +42 spiritual resistance , +3 Enhancement Space]_  
 **[Tenseiga Enhancement** update:  
 **A Father's Gift** _(empowered, LV200)_ **:** +250 HP regeneration per minute  
 **The Weight of Life** _(empowered, LV200)_ **:** +250 YP regeneration per minute  
 _(empty space)_  
 _(empty space)_  
 _(empty space)_ ]

Tsukiko glance at the notification, wondering why Chaos had even bother since her father wasn't keyed in to the Game, even if the quest update had helped those still in the Mortal Realm keep up with their progress in hell – then she reminded herself that trying to put common sense and that particular god together wasn't a good idea.

As if to prove her right, another wave of notifications hit her Interface, those ones clearly not seen by her pack given their lack of reaction...

 **[Hidden Event LV300 Complete! Spring Cleaning in Hell...**  
 _such a dutiful little sister you are Little Shadow, I am so jealous of Death!_  
 **Reward:** +4000XP, a new friend]

 **[Level up!** You are now level 186!  
 _+4SP, +2CP]_

Tsukiko eyes' twitched at the latest notification – Chaos hadn't even bothered with pretending he hadn't been spying on them, not to talk about how cryptic the reward sounded.  
That is – until a swirl of power looking suspiciously like a small Meidou appeared in from of her, dropping in her arms a small white pup and a letter.

[Hey little goddess!  
I have been conducting quite a few experiment with our fellow gods, and just like you've recently discovered, the more powerful we are, the more incomplete we feel without our powers. Still, it's a price most are ready to pay for a bit of change in our monotonous existence.  
This is why I won't scold you for spending time in hell and nearly undoing my hard work on you!  
Still, even this small time has put a strain on your body, as it undid part of the seal on your holy powers, and that after Magic went out of her way to make your powers less dangerous for your when mortal (sigh) I guess children will be children.  
But luckily for you, since I'm so awesome, I've a solution ready for you: your second inugami! The little beauty isn't a Grimm, as you can clearly see, and having her by your side will redirect your godly powers to her to help her grow up rather than eat up your mortal life-spawn.  
Told you I was awesome!  
Still, it doesn't mean you should just go and play around in hell, but a few hours from time to time won't hurt. I'm pretty sure you've already realize how to open the path with your own powers after all.  
As for the little one now in your care, just like the previous one, she's someone who chose this path, and I don't think it'll be too hard to realize who.  
Cheers!

Chaos]

Tsukiko couldn't help but smile at the whimsical god's letter – and wasn't even surprised when as soon as she had finished reading it, it burst into green, harmless flames.

In her arms, her new partner struggled to come in an upright position, the little pup, while about the same size as Padfoot had been when he was incarnated as her first inugami, looking and feeling much younger just like when the Grimm had come back to her for the first time – then she opened her eyes, two gleaming golden orbs echoing in her own, and Tsukiko realized, startled, that this inugami wasn't a Grimm indeed, but wasn't a dog either.  
This was a white wolf.

By her side, Padfoot barked excitedly, having recognized the young one at the same time as her. With a smile, she brought the wolf against her, the little one nuzzling her fondly.  
"You've got a new friend, alpha?" Miroku asked, unknowingly echoing Chaos Game  
"Seems like it." Tsukiko nodded, letting the small wolf on the ground, where she sat primly, and observed the pack around her imperiously "This is Blanche."

"A wolf inugami, how quaint." InuKimi was the one to remark, carefully not mentioning how emotive her grand-daughter had been for an instant when receiving the pup – if the little ookami wanted or needed to share, she would do so at her own pace  
"Apparently spending time in hell unleashed a bit my powers, so she's here to keep this under control."  
"Godly powers aren't meant to be used in the Mortal Realm." Kagome nodded in understanding, all of the pack having heard and realized as much several times already

"She's very different from Padfoot." Shippou commented  
"She's much younger, for one." Tsukiko reminded "And not even the same type of inugami."  
"She sure doesn't look like a Grimm." Miroku nodded with an amused smile  
"Is she going to grow as fast as Shingetsu?" Sango wondered

"Quite the contrary." Tsukiko explained "As an inugami, she'll attune herself to my holy powers for quite a while before she's ready to grow up. Padfoot spent his whole first incarnation looking like a pup, and never got to looking like a grown dog even in his second one, thought in that life he grew enough to communicate by thoughts like a normal familiar. This life is the first where he grows to his adult size... and even then, he still look rather young."  
After that, Blanche had soon grown tired of the chatter around her, and found Padfoot's favorite resting place – right on top of Tsukiko's head – before settling for a nap, while the several packs assembled in the garden had continued to chat amicably.

Sesshoumaru was keeping Rin within arm-length, something all realized but none were stupid enough to point out, while the little girl didn't seem any worse for the wear after her second death and resurrection – even if she did surprise both father and daughter by commenting idly "Tsuki-chan's brother was just as kind as her, wasn't he?" before going back to playing with Kanna and Shippou

As for poor Kouga, he'd become InuKimi's victim while her son was in hell, but the hours of torturous lessons had been far from useless.  
Even if he viewed them as rather pointless, the wolf understood rather swiftly the basics he was imparted with, and by the time they all left the next day, Tsukiko wasn't afraid of letting Tsume pack head alone toward the East – knowing already that the wolf would manage in front of the Cardinal Lord he now was the heir of, and that InuKimi's approval now woven in his youki, as unexpected as it had been, would only act as a bonus point for the young alpha.

Sesshoumaru, Rin and Jaken went their own way too, like always – and Shadow pack turned back toward Edo once more.  
They weren't that far off from the village when the youkai of the pack sense caught on the scent of blood – and of Naraku.

¤.¤.¤

Hurrying toward the scent, they soon stumbled into a band of humans bandits, all butchered – and with their face missing. Not needing to be seer to realize this was probably another of the hanyou's spawn, they sped up, following the scent to yet another bloody scene, this one still acting out.  
Kanna's reflective shield sprung up before a woman hurdled protectively around a small child, to the clear surprise of the enemy.  
"Eh? Resistance?" the man, his scent marking him as one of Naraku's, swung his sword on his shoulder with an amused smile "Ah no matter, I was getting bored. I thought killing those people would help me remember who I am, but it didn't, even if it was fun for a while."

"You bastard! What is Naraku's plan this time?" InuYasha bit out, not liking anymore than the rest of his pack the useless bloodshed all round them  
"Naraku? Who's that? Do you know who I am?"  
"Your master!"  
The affirmation made the man laugh "I obey no one, hanyou! I am simply Musou, and I do as Musou will!" his eyes darkened "But anyway, your face is annoying, so why don't you just die?"  
The attack was – surprisingly weak InuYasha noted as they all side-stepped it easily. Far weaker than any of Naraku's children had been until now...

Still, weak or not, the man was clearly a monster, who'd slaughtered meaninglessly a whole village, and clearly sported Naraku's scent even if he didn't seem aware of the origin of his existence. So the hanyou struck back, Tessaiga's blade enhanced by his control over wind – and the other didn't even react fast enough to completely avoid the attack, arm cut clean by the blade.  
Only for a swarm of saimyoushou to appear and quickly coagulate into a brand new arm.  
Surprising Musou just as much as the pack...

"Well, I guess we can eliminate any doubt we had about him being one of Naraku's children," Miroku commented while the stunned youkai observed his new arm in wonder "but this situation is still fishy, isn't it?"  
"Bah," InuYasha grumbled "who cares about fishy, he's a bastard, he's one of Naraku's, that's all I need to destroy him!"  
With that, a powerful Kaze no Kizu was sent toward the unsuspecting Musou – right about the same time as he caught sight of Kagome, eyes widening, only able to gasp "Kikyou?" before the attack scattered him

"He... mistook me for Kikyou." the young miko realized "And didn't seem to know about Naraku... Does it mean that maybe..."  
"Naraku tried to get rid of Onigumo's remnant?" Miroku wondered "After all, it is his human heart that forbid him from killing Kagome..."  
"So he tried to get rid of it." Tsukiko nodded, "Yet he didn't left him unprotected..."  
"What do you mean?"  
The wolf hime gestured to the patch scorched by the Kaze no Kizu – and the rest of the pack, eyes widening, realized what the goddess could already feel.

"He isn't dead." Miroku whispered, eyes following the saimyoushou rapidly gathering the bits of flesh, all converging in the same place  
One large bit of flesh, with a familiar spider burnt-mark in the middle of it.

And now that they had realized the pack's continued presence, the insects were buzzing menacingly, youki rapidly gathering around them as they called a swarm of youkai between them and the reviving Musou.  
Between all of the pack members, taking care of the swarm of low level youkai was but a formality – but it still was more than enough time to let Musou reform, eyes glinting malevolently.  
"I do remember, now," the youkai commented "about you, InuYasha... The bastard who made Kikyou weak..." he hard hardened

"You're the one that caused her death!" the hanyou retorted immediately  
"You know nothing!" the one that had been Onigumo tempested "I wanted the Shikon to Tama to be able to move once more, to take Kikyou and get away from this damn cave! And yet, when my body was reborn... Nothing went as planned!"  
That, the pack realized – must have been when Naraku himself had been born.  
"That body that should have been mine teared up the thing I wanted the most, and I was stuck in the dark for who knows how long!" the hard eyes never left InuYasha, but all could feel youki swirl around Musou as his form suddenly changed "So tell me InuYasha... Why is it that you're still alive when Kikyou isn't?"

While more dangerous than the moment before, Musou's attack still wasn't too hard to evade – but rather than be discomfited, the youkai changed form once more under their startled eyes.  
"He's not that powerful, but as long as he can regenerates, he'll be a nuisance." Sango soon understood after her Hiraikotsu cut clean the youkai's arm, only for them to be regrown in a pair of nasty pincers  
"Well it's rather evident, isn't it?" Kagome pointed out "The key must be that flesh lump with a spider on it the saimyoushou were protecting earlier."  
"Probably," Miroku confirmed – but the problem was that the insects were keeping on their vigil not too far, ready to sweep in and save their charge at a moment's notice

"Still," Sango wondered "if Naraku wanted to get rid of him, why keep on protecting him?"  
"Because Naraku still needs him." Tsukiko stated "Don't you remember... Onigumo is the connector between the all the youkai that made Naraku."  
"How clever."  
The pack was surprised to realize that among the swarm of low-level youkai, and the ever-regenerating Musou, their hanyou nemesis had managed to slip on the battleground nearly unremarked.

"It's just as you say," the hanyou nodded while causally stepping toward his offspring, the furious youkai lashing out violently toward him – only for his limbs to get stuck in his progenitor's body "This Onigumo is the original connector..."  
Stepping forward toward the now terrified man, he smiled coldly, as his body encroached on the other, absorbing him like a large spider eating it's prey "So he is still needed, no matter how much I wanted to get rid of his vulgar, low-grade soul."  
"And because you still need him, you're still stuck as a hanyou." Miroku was the one to state  
"So what?" Naraku retorted, not missing a beat

"So that night when the defenses around your hideout lowered..."  
The malevolent hanyou smirked "How cunning of you, houshi, wondering about my time of weakness..." his gazed went for InuYasha "What about you? Do you cower in fear on the night you lose all your powers?" his smile widened "It's like you say houshi, I am a hanyou... However, we both may be hanyou," he added toward the pack's beta "our origins are different, and so is our time of weakness... After all, I am free to chose that time with my own will!"  
The dark haired hanyou smiled as he explained "Contrarily to you, when I'm at my lowest, I can change myself, discarding my weaknesses and making myself even stronger!" he opened his arms "Why don't you test it?"  
"i will!" InuYasha immediately agreed, knowing the other was taunting him, but not seeing the need not to answer – after all, they had probably gathered as many information as they could from the loud-mouthed hanyou  
And so without another hesitation, Kaze no Kizu was cut – only for the blades of wind to hit against a dense wall of youki, spreading clouds of miasma around. While the pack was jumping out of the corrosive vapors, Naraku fled with his saimyoushou.

 **[Goal complete!** +25XP  
 **Goal update:** meet Naraku's next spawn]

"So... What is it with villains and giving out monologues about their own powers?" Kagome wondered "I mean, it didn't even occur to him we were letting him talk because he was doing half our job for us by handing out information on himself!" she protested heatedly "I thought this was something that only happened in stories!"

"That's because most villains tend to have over-inflated egos." Tsukiko explained flatly "That barrier must be something he achieved while we were battling against Kagura a few days again, so like a kid with a new toy, he wanted to show it off." an amused smile "The fact oji-san's kaze no Kizu didn't manage to cut it must be all the proof he needs that his barrier is plenty powerful against us."  
"That's stupid." Shippou complained "Kagome-chan is the one who cuts the barriers we encounter all of the time!"  
"Of course it's stupid. Assumptions often are." Miroku nodded "But we should be thankful when the stupid one are our enemies."

With that, the pack took the road once more, minds already mulling on the latest revelations Naraku had been kind enough to share with them.

* * *

¤.¤.¤

* * *

Shinobu had taken to Chaos Game like a fish to water, and with it, had started to improve much faster than before – the hanyou's single-mindedness in growing stronger proof enough that he had no intention of leaving Ryoichi's side by the time the kitsune dropped the orphans back to well.  
While peppering Ryoichi with questions about the strange power, the neko was also starting to ask more about his life, realizing day after day that the place the kitsune came from was a far different place from the world they were living in.  
Of course, it didn't came as that much of a surprise, as the fox did spent a bit of time nearly ever evening talking a bit about his home in order to get the orphans getting used to the idea of living in the very different place they were eventually heading to.

From the stories, and small slip up, eventually realizing that it wasn't another country the fox was talking about – but another time – hadn't been that hard of a step to make in the end. It did explain quite a lot about how different the daiyoukai's way of thinking was after all.  
It was a few days after gaining access to Chaos Game that the poor hanyou had his next big encounter with the unmitigated strangeness that came from traveling with a reincarnated god – even if, as he'd soon realize, it wasn't the god he was currently traveling with that was at fault for that particular encounter but another one.  
It had started, like often for youkai, with the feeling of youki – a powerful youki, not hostile, but not bothering with restraining its presence either.

So naturally, Shinobu had been a bit annoyed when a small, serpentine silhouette had casually landed on Ryoichi's shoulders, wrapping around his neck like a scaly scarf and sniffing curiously around the kitsune's left arm.  
"I think you're looking for this." said kitsune simple stated, uncovering the engagement mark usually hidden by his haori's large sleeves  
The dragon eyed him inquisitively, taking in the youki swirling in the mark, then turned his attention back toward the kitsune  
"What did you do?" Shinobu couldn't help but demand  
"I didn't do anything!" the fox immediately protested

"You must have if you knew what he was looking for!" the hanyou turned his attention back toward the dragon "And you! Who do you think you're fooling with this form? We could all feel your youki from miles away!"  
"It's not like I was hiding." the dragon retorted easily enough "This form was just more comfortable!"  
"Well, I guess you must be more used to scales and claws than skin and clothes." Ryoichi nodded amicably "But if you don't get in the habit of using your humanoid form again, you'll never be able to blend among human."  
A sigh "True, I guess." with a surge of energy, the dragon was replaced by a tall man with white hair and red eyes

"If I may ask..." Ryoichi wondered "I thought you were heading toward the continent?"  
"You've already heard from me?"  
"My fiance and I have our ways."  
"I had already gathered as much from her." the dragon nodded "Still, I was heading from the continent.." a shrug "But then I caught her youki on you, so I made a small detour to come and check!"  
The former hit-man sweat dropped – only a multi-millennia youkai would call several hundred of miles a small detour...

"So?" he asked "Did you find what you were looking for?"  
"Well," the dragon admitted easily "I was wondering what kind of person could catch someone as interesting as that little goddess... but I must admit I didn't expect to find a young god."  
"It had to happen if I wanted to follow her." the kitsune admitted easily  
"You don't seem too put out by my presence?"

"You're a dragon," Ryoichi pointed out patiently "one who just declared my _bambina_ your Treasure." that affirmation made Shinobu splutter "Of course I knew I'd see you sooner or latter."  
"And yet I can feel no animosity coming from you."

"She's your Treasure, not your sex-slave." the hit-man stated blandly "And it's not as anyone could make her do anything against her will..."  
"You're not very possessive for a kitsune."  
"I'm a very possessive man." said kitsune contradicted "But I'm not an insecure one. My relationship with the _bambina_ is unique, but we're both immortal beings, I'm not naive enough to think she'll never fall in love with someone else." a smirk "I'm simply confident enough to understand that whomever else she may love, our relation will never disappear."

"I... don't really see how this qualify as possessiveness?" Shinobu couldn't help but protest weakly "You're saying you'll share her!"  
"We've lived through several life already," the fox pointed out "and my _bambina_ attracts dangerous individuals to her like moths to a flame..." a smirk "Sooner or later there's bound to be another one interesting enough to catch her interest if only for a while." a shrug "I'm pretty sure eternal life isn't compatible with monogamy. Love herself pretty much told us as much after all..."  
"So... you're saying both of you may fall in love with other people yet still be in love with each other?" the neko understood  
"Exactly. If someone wanted to be in a relationship with either of us, that person could never replace us. After all, we've got an unbreakable bond."

Ryukossei had listened to the kitsune's explanation with clear interest – he really didn't regret his side-trip, he decided, the kitsune may not be as fascinating as his fiance, he still was interesting in his own right.  
After all, it was everyday you encountered an assassin surrounded with rescued orphans and clearly touched by Life herself...

And this affirmation of a bond – turning his senses to the fox, he realized "Ah, so she's not only your fiance but your Sky."  
Ryoichi wasn't surprised by how quick the dragoon realized it – after all, Tsukiko had written that it was the Tail Perk unlocked by his protection that had allowed her to unlock her flames, and ever since, even thought he hadn't used any perk to do the same, his daily meditation had led him more and more toward the warm, familiar flames that had been the central part of much of his first life.  
And back then the two of them may not have harmonized – life-times had gone by since, and he hadn't been surprised when from the familiar flame he'd found a bond leading him directly to his _bambina._

"So," the dragon wondered, "since you're not jealous of your fiance's status... do you want the same?"  
"Keep it." Ryoichi protested "I don't need powers given out of pity."  
"Uh." the dragon huffed, clearly surprised "I wondered... People that aren't jealous are generally greedy, you know."  
The kitsune wasn't too surprised by that affirmation – being a dragon's treasure was a highly sought after status after all. Still, to think the man had the gall to test him! His eyes were glowing with barely repressed murderous intent when he glared at the dragon.

"I have been rather patient with your curiosity," he stated "because I know of dragons habit when it come to their treasures. But you have no business trying to judge my worthiness, this is something only the _bambina_ can decide of. And if you are stupid enough to try and come between the two of us..." his smile was full of teeth "I won't need to be the one to end you."  
The dragon's eyes widened at the certainty in the fox's tone – and a new light gleamed in his eyes.

Maybe, just maybe – the little god may prove just as interesting as his fiance...  
But he had outstayed his welcome, Ryukossei realized mournfully, in trying to find out what exactly made the man worthy of that girl. Still, that didn't dampen the dragon's mood for too long – he still had his old home to visit, and by the time he came back, the assassin's mood would have surely settled.  
"You're right, that little goddess is more than able to decide for herself." the dragon finally answered to the previous threat "But I still had to see if there was anything worth to fuss about!"

With that, he swiftly avoided the several fox fire balls sent his way, shifting seamlessly in his true form "We'll see each other again, little godling!"

 **[Hidden Event LV300 complete!**  
 _You've satisfied Ryukossei's curiosity_  
 **Reward:** +4000XP, +1 Enhancement Stone  
 _more than simply settling the dragon's curiosity about his latest Treasure, you've managed to gain his interest on your own merit_  
 **Bonus Reward:** +10 000XP, **"Elder Long's Treasure"** title unlocked]

 **[Political** **System** updated!  
 **Ryukossei** _(ryu daiyoukai, LVmax)_ has been added as a House of Leaf ally: +50XP]

[Ryoichi activated **"Elder Long's Treasure"** soul-bond title  
+1 Luck, +1Charisma, +2Wisdom]

 **[Level up!** Ryoichi is now level 189!  
 _+16SP, +6CP, +1PP]_

[new Tail perk unlocked:  
 **-Might of the Dragon:** when needed ryu can be powerful warriors able to use the force of nature against their opponents, you will gain the characteristic of one of their hanyou (+2 Strength and +1 Agility every half decade) and unlock the mastery of one nature element (unlocked by becoming a dragon's treasure, locks **Mind** **of** **the** **Dragon** )  
 **-Mind of the Dragon:** ryu are reputed for their peaceful ways, trying to reason before resort to fight, you will gain the characteristic of one of their hanyou (+2 Wisdom and +1 Luck every half decade) and unlock the mastery of your inner element (unlocked by becoming a dragon's treasure, locks **Might** **of** **the** **Dragon** )

 _available: 0]_

Ryoichi's killing intent spiked as he realized what the dragon had done – how dare the old scaly annoyance mark him as his own after he specifically refused it!  
"I'm sure he did this just to piss me off." the kitsune was still grumbling in annoyance hours latter  
"I'm pretty sure he did it because you were idiotic enough to threaten him and mean it." Shinobu contradicted easily "Now stop complaining about something most people would kill for, the kits are starting to wonder if you've gone mad!"

Mentioning the children seemed to be the right thing, the cat hanyou noted with undisguised relief – and if their strange leader still acted a bit like a ruffled cat for the next few days, the realization that it hadn't been 'to spite' him that the dragon had marked him but out of interest, just like both Tsukiko and InuYasha, started to settle little by little, while the band of misfits carried on its mission.


	17. Game On 30 XVI The Shichinin-tai

**hi!** sorry for the long wait, the passage with the Shichinin-tai and Mount Hakurei was very difficult to write, and life got in the way. Nothing bad happened, since my mother is better by now, but so many things were going on at once that I had difficulties keeping up with everything, so once again, sorry for the wait.  
I also had this chapter finished for a while but I wanted to finish all th Mount Hakurei Arc before starting to post the chapters, so here is the first part...

* * *

 **Chapter XVI. The Shichinin-tai**

The pack hadn't managed to reach Edo when Naraku's scent started to leak, once more – only this time, the hanyou was plotting once more, they realized.  
Because as they rushed toward the once more unmasked scent, hoping to catch it long enough to get to his lair, they soon realized they weren't the one targeted by this plot – as Tsukiko, whose soul sense reached far further than the youkai acute sense, was soon worriedly stating that she could feel her father too heading toward the hanyou.

Something Sesshoumaru wouldn't do in normal time, given the Cardinal Lords decision regarding their enemy – only a direct offense from Naraku would now allow him to attack the hanyou under those directives.  
And the Lord of the West didn't have his ward with him.

Now worried, the pack hurried along the road, the girls soon recognizing they weren't too far from the place they'd saved Kouga – and both Sesshoumaru and Naraku's scent suddenly disappearing.  
But this time, the hanyou had made a mistake – while he could mask his scent and hide his lair with youjutsu strongly enough that the pack could be at his door and not realize it was him they were seeing, he had once more underestimated pack-bonds.  
Tsukiko's father, the Head of her House and the first alpha of the Lands of the West was behind Naraku's barriers, and nothing could hid this to her, nor to her pack.

 **[Goal complete!** +25XP  
 **Goal update:** make use of Naraku's weakness before it disappears]

Kagome eyed the notification – while the shield she now had thanks to Kaede was working, as they had confirmed when faced with Tsubaki, this didn't mean they knew how to make use of it against the hanyou.  
"Rin isn't too far!" Tsukiko realized, eyes straying toward a place too far for human eyes to see "And she's with Kagura..."  
"Right." InuYasha nodded, not too surprised – for his brother to seek out Naraku, the hanyou had to have a mean of pressure after all, and their alpha had said the little girl wasn't with the daiyoukai "Let's split up then."

"Shippou, Kanna."  
The two youkai nodded, and went by their alpha's side, soon speeding toward the simple traditional house hiding in the forest where Rin was held – a house protected by a swarm of countless youkai.  
As for the part of the pack that stayed with InuYasha, it was Kagome who took charge there, naginata humming with reiki.  
Naraku's barrier was far stronger than before, the teenage girl confirmed for herself – no wonder the basic version of Kaze no Kizu hadn't been enough to cut it earlier. Still, she hadn't been training so hard for no reason, and so her aura focused, light empowering the blessed weapon, making it nearly blinding for those around them, and the path was open...  
Even without Chaos Interface, it would have been clear this was Naraku's main base, the pack realized.

The ground and air was tainted heavily with the hanyou's malicious youki, making the soil barren and the air nearly unbreathable, the humans probably only protected by their pack-bond.  
All went to work with easy efficiency, Hiraikotsu and Tessaiga not hampering each other once despite both weapon felling dozens of enemies with each strike, both holy servants while having smaller scale attacks no less dangerous to the youkai around them as they needed but a touch to purify them.  
Soon, they were deep in the blood and gore – and as she nearly didn't even bother with side-stepping a bloody puddle, Kagome wondered when she had become used to such violence.

The girl dispatched another youkai that had tried to take advantage of her seemingly lapse in focus to creep up on them – and they suddenly were in the shiro's main courtyard.

It was no wonder the evil hanyou hid himself under his baboon pelt, the futuristic girl had to admit, if this was what he looked under it.  
The hanyou was a conglomeration of multiple youkai – but she hadn't realized it was quite this literal, even when Musou had been incessantly changing his form.  
But right now, facing Sesshoumaru, Naraku wasn't hiding for once, attacking relentlessly despite the lack of success all his attacks were met with, yet surprisingly not looking put out in the least by his apparent failure. Which, knowing the cunning hanyou, meant that for now all was still going according to his plans.

Or rather, all had been going according to plan until their arrival, the miko mused – for the monstrous creature who had been smirking in amusement as it struck again and again against the daiyoukai's pristine silhouette had wide eyes when it realized they weren't as alone as they'd been before, and the wave of low-level youkai around them multiplied suddenly.  
Clearly, Naraku hadn't thought they'd be able to enter his barrier that easily.  
"Ah," the hanyou recognized reluctantly "I guess there's no more time to play?"

Suddenly, all the discarded bits of flesh that had been scattered around the courtyard while Naraku was fruitlessly trying to attack Sesshoumaru took a life of their own – and Kagome gasped as she understood why the hanyou had been smiling; why he hadn't looked phased with his lack of success in fighting the daiyoukai...  
"This powerful youki of yours," Naraku affirmed as he struck "I'll be taking it for my own, Sesshoumaru!"  
"As if we'd let you do as you please!" InuYasha was the one to protest, wind swirling around Tessaiga  
Of course, the dark-haired hanyou wasn't afraid, a cocky grin on his face as the dark poisonous barrier he'd showed off before appeared around him.

What Naraku hadn't expected was that InuYasha didn't unleash the Kaze no Kizu – but the Bakuryuuha that he'd learned against Ryukossei – and so a swirling vortex of cutting wind and youki tore at the unsuspecting hanyou, the grotesque construct that was his body blowing in a rain of bloody pieces.  
Naraku should have been dead with such an attack, the pack knew – but the large, corrupted piece of the Shikon no Tama pulsing in his chest clearly didn't want to let go of its host, and the ridiculously good survival instincts of the hanyou had made him unleash a powerful wave of miasma when his body had been teared apart.  
"Well," Naraku had the gall to still laugh "I guess this is where I'm taking my leave!"

"Don't think we'll just let you run away, you bastard!" InuYasha hotly protested, Tessaiga once more ready to attack  
But while he'd been surprised by the attack, Naraku wasn't going to just let himself get struck a second time, and with a pulse of his youki, wave upon wave of low-level youkai disgorged from the castle, effectively stucking the pack in place.  
Kagome let her reiki surge, her naginata unleashing a large blade of light and power and cutting down multiple youkai in front of her – the miko mentally kicking herself for not having thought to do so earlier.

Naraku's eyes widened as he realized she was on the battlefield – he hadn't seen her cut the barrier after all, and with Sango and InuYasha going thought his ranks, her contribution had looked rather modest up until now. But now – the hanyou's eyes were on her, cold and hateful, yet still somehow wary and calculating.  
This was probably her last chance to use the former human infatuation against him, Kagome realized as her mind desperately tried to give her a way, an attack, anything that could hurt the despicable being in front of her before he ran, before once more he slipped between their finger...

But her mind was blank, and she could feel the chance slipping through her fingers by the second – making the miko angry.

For once, she wished – for Kikyou's cool mind, for her years of training where she had had but months; for Mirdoriko's formidable talent with reiki and weapons, who'd earned her the reputation as the greatest warrior miko in history; for all that power and knowledge she knew that was held in her soul yet so direly failed her right now...  
 _"We'll help..."_  
The miko startled at the two ethereal voices that whispered to her ears only – and it was as if possessed that she took out the bow she rarely used, notched an arrow, and struck just as Naraku was fleeing.  
The power swirling around the arrow glowed in three different shades of unique reiki, going through the hanyou's barrier as if it wasn't there, and sinking in his chest right in the Shikon no Tama large shard he owned – not destroying the jewel but purifying a large amount of it, and leaving behind a sun shaped burnt mark as the arrow turned to dust, just as the bow in Kagome's hands.

 **[Goal complete!** +25XP  
 **Goal update:** find back Naraku before he completes his transformation  
 **Hidden Goal complete!**  
Kagome's resolve was heard by her previous incarnations  
 **Hidden Reward:** +100XP, +1 beginner Tail perk tome]

The miko couldn't help but smile in triumph as when fleeing, the malicious hanyou had finally lost his usual smugness. While Naraku's ability to get away fast enough to cling to life was frustrating, there was no mistaking it – between InuYasha's Bakuryuuha and Kagome's arrow, this time hanyou had barely managed to step out alive of their confrontation, something he clearly hadn't expected given his recent power ups.

¤.¤.¤

While InuYasha and Kagome had forged ahead toward Sesshoumaru and Naraku, Miroku and Sango had stayed together to hold back the brunt of the youkai guarding the outside of the shiro.  
As such, when Naraku let out his potent cloud of miasma, the two humans were soon caught between poison and multitude of youkai.  
Miroku had opted to raise a shield for the tajiya and himself, while Sango took over his share of the fighting against the swarm. Comparatively weak the youkai may be, there were still no end to them, while the two humans' endurance had its limit, and both the tajiya and the houshi were nearing to their.  
By the time their two pack-mates caught up with them, the tajiya was bleeding from countless of small wounds, while the priest was on the last of his reiki, spiritual fatigue starting to settle in.

"The bastard managed to flee," InuYasha explained after he and his brother dispatched quickly the remaining youkai in the courtyard "but he's been badly hurt by Kagome."  
"This Sesshoumaru's ward isn't too far." the daiyoukai by his side added by way of explaining why he hadn't pursued the hanyou – while he may know Tsukiko was heading that way, Rin was still his charge, and as an alpha youkai, protecting his pack took precedency on getting rid of Naraku, Shadow's pack understood that quite clearly  
"We're heading toward the brat," InuYasha stated toward his own pack-mates, taking charge as his role of beta dictated "But I want the both of you at the back, if there's a shield needed Kagome will do it."

Neither human protested, a clear sign of how tired they were, and with both riding with Kirara, Kagome was soon on InuYasha's back – something that didn't happen all that often since they usually had Padfoot with them.  
Rushing in the direction Tsukiko had left toward with Shippou and Kanna, the number of youkai was soon on the rise again, or rather, the left-over of youkai, and clear proof their alpha had gone that way.  
Sesshoumaru, the pack was rather surprised to note, kept pace with them rather than rushing ahead – though if it was because he trusted enough his daughter to rescue Rin, or felt the responsibility as an alpha to see the pack reunited with Tsukiko, or even both, then couldn't say.

The scorched marks on the battlefield were clear proof that the young ookami had made use of her fiery nature, but they were rather surprised to realize there also were Kanna's arrows to be found, and of course Shippou hadn't been left behind, as cut wounds could attest to.  
They caught up with the trio as Kagura was making her escape from the house where Rin had been held captive – the last of the youkai swarm used as cannon fodder to let the wind spirit escape.  
An eyebrow raised, Sesshoumaru observed her ward – the little miko didn't have a hair out of place and was cheerfully waving Kagura goodbye...

"Hi Sesshoumaru-sama!" a loud whisper "You know I don't think the pretty lady was very happy to take me, she didn't let the mean youkai who wanted to eat me approach me, and she was asking all kind of questions about Sesshoumaru-sama and Tsuki-chan!"  
"You know, at first I thought it was only Kagome, but then I realized the brat was the same, and now this brat too..." InuYasha thoughtfully pointed out "I think there's something wrong with females from all species that make them become friends with their enemies!"  
The daiyoukai lips twitched at the affirmation – and from the way he was eyeing the three females, he seemed to be in complete agreement with his brother...

From the trio, the rest of the pack soon found out that while Tsukiko had indeed fought, she had been rather restrained, principally using claws and fire, in order to let the two younger youkai present with her gain some precious fighting experience. And while the alpha would have liked to talk to Kagura – her master clearly didn't trust her as far as he could throw her, as there had been saimyoushou around in near permanence.  
With a look around, she flared her reiki, purifying all the youkai remains around the house Rin had been held in before gesturing to her pack to enter – there were wounds to be dressed, and weariness to be slept of, so why not take advantage of the place?

Soon, the pack plus Sesshoumaru and Rin were settling down for the evening, each recounting his part of the fight, since they'd ended up in three groups.  
There wasn't a lot to be said about Miroku's and Sango's fight – only their lack of endurance had hampered them, and the youkai swarm hadn't had anything particularly noteworthy, the weak enemies falling easily under both Hiraikotsu and Miroku's water and reiki enhanced hakujou, only their number a real problem.  
Tsukiko, along with Shippou and Kanna, had faced about the same situation, with the only notable difference of Kagura's presence – but since she was supposed to held Rin, she had used this to stay inside while the swarm was whittled down, only coming out at the end when she was called back by Naraku, after but a token attempt of an attack.  
What really stood out was Naraku's gall at trying to absorb the Western Lord – and the important set back he'd suffered. There was no doubt the hanyou would know all about Bakuryuuha by the next time they found him again, the attack hadn't been kept secret by the Inu no Taishou back in the days.

But Kagome's attack – that was a surprise for everyone.  
More importantly, even Tsukiko and her soul sense had something to say about it...  
"Because those two previous incarnation of your soul and you found yourself in such similar situation, an echo of their life, that can always be found in a soul, but is seldomly awakened, responded to your strong wish to act against Naraku." Tsukiko explained "Right now I can feel both yours and two others reiki, dormant for now, but that you could probably learn to tap into at will with some training. One I'm sure is Kikyou's, and the second without a doubt Midoriko's."

"And what did the attack do?" Miroku wondered  
The alpha couldn't help but shrug helplessly "I would have to see Naraku to know for sure." she reminded "But from what Kagome-chan is saying, I can guess that the attack was focused at purifying the Shikon no Tama, because it's the fact it's corrupted that grants Naraku so much power."

The next morning, they headed back to the shiro – meeting Kouga along the way.  
"Whatever happened here last night, the repercussions are already felt around," the wolf alpha was soon explaining "we were on our way back from the Eastern Lord's shiro when we felt it."  
"It was as if a malicious aura that had been all around since so long we could no longer feel it suddenly disappeared." Ginta took over  
"And a lot weak youkai who'd apparently been hiding from this presence are coming out of the woods." Hakkaku added "We've had to fend of three different attacks on our way here!"

"Anyway, if this was Naraku, then his presence has completely disappeared." Kouga noted "But before that, he was clearly headed north, and moving so fast even I couldn't keep up with him."  
"Well, north we will go then." Tsukiko nodded "Thankfully we're not too far from Edo. We'll have to stock up winter clothes and more food, with the cold coming hunting won't always be an option." turning toward Kagome "You'd better inform your parents that we'll probably be gone for longer than usual, and pick up more studying material from Mahoutokoro."  
She turned toward Kouga "We should keep your pack hooked up on the hunting party too, this way if you're heading north from the Eastern Land while we go through the Western Lands, we will be able to cover more ground."

"You seem rather intent on finding Naraku?" InuYasha pointed out "Not that I'm complaining, but why so suddenly?"  
It was Kagome who answered rather soberly "From the size of the shard he had, and the size of our shard... Between those two pieces, I think the Shikon no Tama is nearly complete."  
The beta's eyes widened at the affirmation. With a decisive nod, he concluded "Well, no use in wasting time, eh?"  
Tsukiko nodded, the hunting party invite soon sent to Tsume's pack and accepted.

After that, they still spent a bit of time in the abandoned castle Naraku had left behind, finding nothing but discarded bits of youkai in the basement – soon after, Kouga was on his way, ready to head north from the Eastern side of the country while the pack headed back to Edo to prepare for their own journey, while Sesshoumaru and his ward went their own way too.  
"Most of the supplies we'd be better off getting in our era," Tsukiko was soon pointing out "so you should take advantage of that time to train or relax."  
"It's too bad we can't come," Shippou complained "I'm sure there's so many interesting things to see!" a pout "Why is it that only InuYasha managed to go through that well?"

"Probably because of that subduing necklace around his neck." Tsukiko explained "It is attuned to Kagome-chan's reiki after all."  
"But Ryo-dono and Tsuki-chan can come and go as they will..." Kagome protested  
"Well, since the well is Fate's way to send you to us, it' not to surprising that alpha can use it too." Miroku pointed out  
"Then, does it mean..." Kagome's eyed widened "Not only Tsuki-chan but Ryo-dono too is a god?"

Seeing her pack stare inquisitively at her, the hime couldn't help put point out "I thought it was rather evident once you found out what I was... I mean I told you we met several life-times ago!"  
"So the guy managed to ascend as a god to follow his wife?" Miroku summed up, awe in his eyes "That's some devotion. Or is it stubbornness?" he wondered  
"Both." Kagome-chan couldn't help but state with assurance – one just had to know the odd couple to be sure of that "Still... What kind of god is he? I mean your job is to help Fate's Chosen, yet you're Death's sister..."  
"He's Life brother."

This time, the young miko was laughing so hard she nearly fell from her spot on Padfoot, making the Grimm huff and nudge her back in place, while even InuYasha couldn't help but snort in disbelief "That man? A god for Life? He's about as suited to it as my brother is!"  
"And yet Tenseiga accepted chichi-ue." Tsukiko reminded, making both the hanyou and the rest of the pack stop in their track at that reminder "Understanding when to take a life is important as an assassin. But knowing when to save one..."  
"Wow. Why is it that he always seems like such a great guy when you talk about him, yet when I saw him he was so annoying?" Shippou couldn't help but complain, entertaining the whole pack with that affirmation

"Still, getting back to the well and powers, Ryoichi has already taken plenty of people to your era with his own project in our era..." InuYasha reminded  
"So does it mean we could all come?"  
While the rest of the pack didn't have the same begging puppy eyes Shippou had – and which Kanna was already developing her own version of – Tsukiko could read hope even in Miroku and Sango's eyes, even if it was better hidden.

While common sense said that taking people traipsing through time for one-afternoon of shopping wasn't a good idea – well for one, common sense was boring, as she was sure Chaos would agree, and to be honest she didn't think it would be that huge of a risk. Time traveling in your own life-time was dangerous because changes had greater effect in the immediate past and future, but once you went as far as centuries, the time-line tended to be rather fixed, adapting itself at any change thrown her way to still end up the way it was supposed to...  
What was the worse that could happen?

¤.¤.¤

In the end, it turned out even simpler than they had anticipated to open the well's to the pack – after all the last time Shippou had tried to hop off in said well, they hadn't even been pack. Since then, Padfoot had let a rather visible reiki imprint on all of the pack – and while they tended to forget about his holy nature, the Grimm still remained an Inugami...  
As predicted, the pack-mark acted as all the authorization the well needed, and they were soon coming out in the Sunset Shrine and welcomed by Daisuke and a Souta enthusiastically working on his kata with the old priest.

"Akane-san and Saiyuri-chan will regret taking that hunting job near Hokkaido." the elder Higurashi commented as the pack was presented to his family around tea  
As they explained why they'd come, it was soon decided that the Higurashi would come too, turning the afternoon into an impromptu family outing – Tsukiko had called her own father, but the Lord was held by work, stuck in a meeting with foreign dignitaries.

Going through the bustling city that was Tokyo had been a rather strange experience for the pack, humans and youkai alike – this highly technological future looked nearly alien to them, and made them wonder just how the two girls from the future had managed to adapt so well to their era.  
Then, they'd gone through one of the numerous hidden passage – and arrived in the bustling wizarding and youkai market.  
The place to them, was both more familiar, and even stranger.  
On one side, the look of the shops and other stalls was far more traditional – but on the other side, technology was present too, mixed in some strange harmony with all the preternatural they could see around. But even stranger was the way all seemed to cohabit – youkai of all species, a multitude of hanyou, holy servants of all kinds and even witches and wizard, something clearly seen badly in their own era.

Shippou, Kanna, and even Souta, were taking the wonders of the place with wide eyes – the human boy was still getting used to his own place in this world, but for the two youkai child...  
This was hope, given form in front of their eyes. Hearing about Kagome and Tsukiko's stories was one thing – but seeing that future they were promising would exist one day was another thing of its own.

Clothing were soon taken care of, with all finding clothes to their own taste which were given over to the seamstress to give a whole treatment of enchanting and enhancing, and after being told to come back the next day to take up their order, the pack was soon indulging the younger of the group by letting Shippou and Souta, both as excited as the other, drag them from the magical menagerie to the sweet shops, without missing the toys and pranks store.  
After the children had their fill of amusement, the hime took them to one last stop – and the pack recognized the familiar youki before even entering the store "He's in the middle of the city?" an incredulous Kagome realized "I thought he didn't like people!"

"Bah! Mount Nikko is even more crowed nowadays with all those damn pilgrims and tourists!" a grumpy Totosai stated as he saw the pack enter his shop  
The pack couldn't help but smile at how unchanged by the centuries the youkai seemed, as he expectantly turned toward Tsukiko "So you want me to make weapons for children now?"  
"They will need them to survive what is to come, as you know better than I do, I suspect."  
"Of course." Totosai grumbled "It's not as if they weren't ready, age aside." he admitted reluctantly "I've seen century old youkai with less power and maturity!"

With that, he grasped Shippou by an ear, making the kit protest loudly in surprise, and taking advantage of his opened mouth promptly puling out a sharp fang before turning out toward Kanna. Eyeing the youkai warily, the little girl nonetheless dutifully opened her mouth, barely wincing as here too the blacksmith took possession of a teeth – and while she was still focusing on her missing tooth, a lock of hair...

"Out now! And don't go back before dropping by to take your weapons!" then as if changing his mind "And give me that too!" with that he snatched Miroku's hakujou  
Not bothering protesting, Tsukiko took her pack out.  
"What is he going to do with my hakujou?" couldn't help but wonder Miroku "I mean, can a youkai even work with a holy weapon?"  
"No, he can't." was quick to confirm Tsukiko "Except if there's youki too in the weapon, he could only do Kagome's naginata because he used my fang in it. But he's probably simply going to give your hakujou to Talbot. The old Tengu can enchant about anything."  
"Talbot?" InuYasha repeated the unfamiliar name  
"You wouldn't know of him, he's not in Japan in your era."

As for Shippou, he was worrying for something completely different "It... doesn't mean we're going to take the Trial, right?" the kit asked timidly  
The hime smiled softly at the visibly worried child "Of course not." a wink "Even thought you could pass it easily!"  
"Of course!" he boasted cheerfully at the reassurance  
"It's just that you've improved enough that you're ready to bond with a weapon of your own, rather than a temporary one." Tsukiko explained, adding "And Kanna is going to need a good weapon too, if she wants to stand up to Naraku and save Kagura."

The shadow spirit nodded and a smiled at that – she had been wondering too, why their alpha was commissioning something usually reserved for adults when both her and Shippou were clearly still treated as the pack's children even if they were never looked down upon.  
Once more – their alpha wasn't disappointing in her answer, both giving them the mean to stand on their own and reassuring them about their place in the family at the same time...

The pack had headed back to the Sunset Shrine for the evening – then spent the night at Tsukiko's house, since it clearly had more space to welcome half a dozen of unexpected guests without a problem.  
As the house of canine youkai – the humans of the pack were rather surprised to realize that the bedroom setup was rather different from what they were used to..  
"It's a den!" Shippou had realized with shiny, happy eyes, unhesitatingly diving in the large pile of furs, wool blankets and cotton sheet

Indeed – it was a den, the canine youkai concept of a bedroom, with the whole floor covered in futon and different sheets for all to sleep together as they wanted – Kagome remembered that her childhood friend had indeed mentioned that pack did everything together, so of course the bedroom was shared...  
There we a couple of discrete shoji doors around the room, that Tsukiko pointed toward "You can use those if you're not comfortable with the den. They're private rooms."  
The humans wondered briefly why there would be private rooms when clearly all slept together – then seeing a blushing Shippou realized the answer was rather evident.  
"Isn't it... inconvenient?" Miroku couldn't help but wonder, having realized those were the room used by couples in need of intimacy "I mean with your senses..."  
"They are warded!" quickly explained Tsukiko, even the young hime blushing this time

In the end, the humans did opt for the rooms, while the youkai, even Kanna who wasn't a particularly pack oriented one at the root, but had soon adopted her new family's ways, made their place in the den.  
When Sesshoumaru arrived, rather late, Tsukiko opened a bleary eye and smiled warmly – and the daiyoukai neatly side-stepped around the children crowding his daughter to make his own place by her side, the ookami sleepily nuzzling against him before settling back to sleep. InuYasha, on the other side of his alpha, opened an eye to before going back to sleep peacefully – happy to now understand so fully the simple acceptance his niece had given him since their first meeting.  
Being among pack and family – was the warmest kind of acceptance he'd ever found.

The situation was only made better by their three humans pack-mates each giving up on sleeping alone at some point and silently entering the den at different points of the night, under Sesshoumaru's approving eyes.  
This – had been the best sleep in their life, both humans and hanyou realized wistfully the next morning. All had grow used to sleep near each other on their travel, even if they hadn't realized it before being given once more the option to sleep apart – and being in the heart of Tsukiko's childhood home, making their alpha so utterly relaxed, as she knew nothing there would harm her or her pack, had in turn made all of them let go of any tension.  
Even waking up and realizing they'd just spent the night in the same room as the Lord of the West didn't dampen that feeling – and really, as cold as the daiyoukai looked, it was hard to be afraid of him when his daughter was curled in his side and using his tail as both pillow and blanket...

Soon, the pack plus one were huddling around the low table for breakfast, the meat-heavy spread a clear indication once more that the house was one where canine lived.  
Tsukiko was soon updating her father on the latest happening in the past, and their current project to head north, and introducing her new partner to the daiyoukai, who just like his daughter widened his eyes in recognition  
"Blanche." he greeted the pup who amicably licked his face "How unexpected..."  
"I was rather surprised." Tsukiko nodded with soft eyes "I mean, we talked a bit when I used dream-walking to visit Death Islands, but I didn't expect her to give up her place in the reincarnation cycle for me."

The daiyoukai was less surprised – after all, even if he hadn't known at the time that Blanche was Tsukiko's mother, he had talked quite a bit about his daughter from the future with the beautiful European wolf, as much more than lovers, they had been good friends, so much that the ookami probably felt as if she already knew the young goddess not yet born. And Blanche he knew had sorely regretted her supposed inability to have children.  
No – Sesshoumaru wasn't surprised in the least with the White Wolf's decision to stay by their daughter's side.

But this wasn't something he'd explain to Tsukiko – Blanche herself would do so in time if she so wished. So instead he let his youki swirl around the Inugami, a blue moon now marring her fur to identify her in this new life as the Lady of the West she never got to be before dying, already knowing his past self wouldn't realize the significance of the mark, simply taking it for an acknowledgment of the pup's link with his daughter...  
As for InuYasha – the hanyou clearly realized what the gesture meant, even if he didn't say anything, simply eyeing the latest addition to their pack with renewed interest. Sesshoumaru smiled in amusement at his brother rather uncharacteristic show of restrain – Tsukiko really had done wonders for the younger inu's comportment.

A few days latter, the pack was back to the past, food stock-piled in their **Inventories** , warm clothes ready to be equipped in the **Wardrobe** System, and with new weapons for Kanna and Shippou, and an improved hakujo for Miroku.  
To say they'd been surprised by Totosai work would be an understatement – but like always, the old blacksmith had been on spot with his choices...

Most of the pack had been rather dubious when the old youkai had handed Shippou his new weapon, kit included – but a few moves later, and all could see that the wavy blade of his fire kriss did work surprisingly well for the young kitsune.  
Similarly Kanna's weapon, while a bow just like the had been training with, wasn't a traditional Japanese one but a Native Indian one to their surprise – but there was no mistaking the flat cut of the wood. They had also realized that said weapon hadn't been made by Totosai at all but by Talbot, who'd also been the one to improve Miroku's hakujo...

¤.¤.¤

Back in the past, the pack had checked via the written chat how things were on Kouga's side, to learn that the power void caused by Naraku's disappearance, that had already been making waves when they left, was getting worse.  
Quite a bit of low to mid-level youkai had come out of hiding with the malevolent hanyou's departure from the region, making the countryside unsafe and ripe with strife between youkai.  
As such, the holy servants of the pack had spent a bit of time establishing the same wards around Edo they'd already put around Sango's village before leaving, not banning access to youkai, but making it harder to approach the town for those intending to harm anyone – they didn't want to bar the village from the peaceful merchants, or the friendly Rouyakan and Jinenji after all...  
It was a few days into their trek north that they heard back from Kouga.

The wolf tribe youkai had just grown into his daiyoukai status, changing into a true form for the first time...  
Tsume pack, still heading north along the Eastern coast, had started hearing rumors from numerous youkai fleeing from the North – there was something unknown, coming from even further North, eating and attacking humans and youkai alike.  
Something that didn't look human, nor had any youki to speak of.  
Something that smelled of corpse and burial ground...

Of course, they had directly headed to investigate – but when they found the enemy, he surprisingly didn't bear Naraku's smell, despite obviously being a part of his click one way or another, as the saimyoushou buzzing around were more than proof enough.  
The thing had once been human, and dead – then revived by a rather powerful Shikon shard. It was something Kouga had never seen before, even if he'd heard about it from Tsukiko during their hunting days – a corrupted human, one made even more dangerous that he no longer was powered only by the dark shard, but had also been eating any youkai he could to steal their power...

Thankfully, with how big and deformed Kyoukotsu, as he'd introduced himself, had grown, the undead wasn't very quick on his feet. But, as Kouga had fast realized after breaking the monster's neck without result, Kyoukotsu wasn't living, and as such couldn't be killed easily.  
The only way to put back the mad thing to eternal rest was to take out the Shikon shard behind his brow...  
The fight hadn't been going too well, as Kouga couldn't feel the shard like Kagome could, and so the pack had been attacking again and again fruitlessly until by a strike of luck, the undead thing managed to hurt Hakkaku and was on his way to try and eat Ginta.

The young heir of Fang had seen red – and the next moment, a large brown wolf had cut Kyoukotsu's body clean in half, the shard flying out of his skull under one of the new ookami's large claws, the undead's body turning back to a pile of large bones. The saimyoushou had taken advantage of Tsume's pack rather understandable confusion and surprise at their alpha new status to steal back the Shikon shard right from the pile of bone's, but at least the encounter had given them a lead.  
Asking around in the villages, it took Shadow's pack a few more days to find out just who Kyoukotsu had been...

The Shichinin-tai had been a band of seven mercenaries from hire, working for no one lord, wandering from war to war, battle to battle. Soon, the daimyou all started to fear the strength of the small band of warriors, who were known to be as strong as an army of a hundred and lacking any mercy, enjoying bloodshed and mayhem and showing mercy to none, be them women or children. In order to put a stop to the group's threat and exactions, an army was raised.  
While in the end the several daimyou's armies were victorious – it had been a costly victory, the shichinin-tai routing their pursuers toward a mountain and taking hundreds before they were finally caught in an abandoned village to the North, and finally, they were decapitated and burned.

The inhabitants from the neighboring villages, afraid of being cursed by the seven spiteful spirits then erected a grave and a shrine to appease their souls – a shrine that had recently been found destroyed...  
Soon after that, Kyoukotsu had started his rampage toward the East, and the people were afraid – after all, if one of the seven was back to life, then it was no hard leap to make to guess that the six others had come back from the grave too.

And with Kyoukotsu clearly having been revived by Naraku, it wasn't too hard for Shadow's pack to guess that the shichinin-tai would soon be coming after them to prevent them from finding the hanyou...  
As such, their next destination – not that it really changed anything, since they had already been heading North, was the seven's grave, and from there, hopefully, a way to find Naraku once more.

Nearly two weeks of fast-paced travel after leaving Edo, they finally found themselves in front of the famous broken shrine, meeting up with Tsume's pack, that hadn't been waiting for them for more than a few hours, as crossing the mountain range that was the spinal cord of the country wasn't an easy trip by any mean – but then again, the wolves pack had been able to follow the first shichinin-tai's trail of destruction.  
As soon as Shadow's pack found itself standing in front of the now empty burial site, Chaos Game came alive.

 **[Life Quest! The Seven Undead...**  
 **First goal:** meet all the shichinin-tai (0/7)  
 **Second goal:** send back the shichinin-tai back to the afterlife (0/7)  
 **Reward:** +100XP per shichinin-tai, +1 beginner skill tome upon first goal completion, +1 Stone Enhancement upon second goal completion, all Shichini-tai added to Boss List in the Arena System upon quest completion]  
 **[First goal update (1/7):** +100XP]  
 **[Second goal update (1/7):** +100XP]

"Well," InuYasha pointed out "Now we can be sure about those seven being an important part of whatever Naraku's current plans are..."  
"For them to warrant a Life Quest they must be." Miroku agreed  
The two packs had left the empty shrine, behind – not after the three miko of the group pointed out that it was already cleansed, something rather impressive when you knew the seven buried in there were corrupted, but easily explained by the looming form of a nearby mountain.  
"Another one I've never heard about." complained Kagome as she glared at said mountain as if it was at fault

"Well," Tsukiko admitted "I've only heard of it too if it makes you feel better." a shrug "From what I know a powerful holy servant was enshrined there, and his disappearance was followed by the whole sacred site destruction..."  
"And when did that happened?" wondered Kagome, suddenly having a bad feeling about the story  
"Probably around this era." Tsukiko confirmed, guessing at what her friend was wondering – the pack finding its way to this place, knowing it would soon be destroyed didn't feel like a coincidence

"Still, there is a powerful reiki barrier around the mountain," Miroku pointed out "so it's not possible for Naraku to go through it, right?"  
"Yet at the same time, it would be the perfect way to hid him from youkai sense if he was behind it, wouldn't it?" Sango had to contradict  
"And holes can be made even through the most powerful barrier." concluded Tsukiko  
"If it exists, we'll find it." Kouga nodded – and so, after a few hours of companionship, the two pack were soon going their separate way once more, Tsume to circle the mountain by it's Eastern side while Shadow would do the same on the Western one

They weren't that far from the broken shrine when Tsukiko and her pack encountered a small group of farmers, who were quick to advise them not to follow the road ahead – apparently, word was spreading of the Shichinin-tai's awakening, and with it the daimyou who'd condemned them ten years earlier were feeling once more the familiar fear of the terrible band of mercenaries...

As such, the landlord of the shiro where the great halberd that had once been the weapon of choice of the seven's leader was kept was raising an army, forcibly enlisting anyone coming his way – while the other daimyou's were sending their men too, leaders thirsting for glory just enough to forget about the fearsome reputation of their prey.  
After thanking the men for their warning, and informing them that the shrine was clean – something that seemed to greatly reassure them – the pack was on it's way, the scent of blood soon making them hasten their pace.

¤.¤.¤

A few minutes at full speed, and they found themselves facing a lone human-looking figure surrounded by dead and bloody bodies. It was clear from the scene that there hadn't been much of a fight, the Shichinin-tai member – his scent impossible not to recognize – not having a speck of blood on himself... while the large scimitar like blade negligently propped on his shoulder was dripping it.  
Spotting their arrival, the corrupted human's face lightened in excitation, and he greeted them enthusiastically – or rather, he greeted InuYasha, to the hanyou's despair...

"Oh! You must be InuYasha! You are even cuter than I expected!" the shinning eyes took a sinister gleam "I'm itching to see your despairing face as I cut you!And after that... I'll take those ears of yours as a souvenir!"  
"Tch. Creepy bastard."  
"Ah! This aloof look is so sexy! I'm Jakotsu-sama, let's see whose sword is the best!"

 **[First goal update (2/7):** +100XP]

With that, the undead had moved swiftly for the size of the weapon he was carrying, aiming at the pack's beta without paying attention to the rest of them at all. They shared surprised glances, no one having expected the flamboyant character in front of them as their next enemy, and wondered about whether to help their beta.  
Jakotsu was good, very good for a human – for one thing, despite the corruption the holy servants of the pack could all clearly felt, the man was thinking clearly, even if it may have been a side effect of the shard – the second important point was that where Naraku's spawn had all been newborn, the human had been a mercenary for decades before his death and subsequent resurrection. What Jakotsu may lack in youki and strengths compared to Naraku's children, he compensated for in spades with his own fighting experience...

And that was clearly shown as it was only InuYasha's sharpened reflexes and instincts that allowed him to jump out of the way as the blade of the mercenary's weapon seemed to twist and blur in the air, revealing that it hadn't bee a simple blade but a chained one, the multiple segments making up for a difficult weapon to control but with a much better range than a simple sword – a finicky weapon Jakotsu used perfectly.  
Miroku and Sango decided themselves to help at the same time – and it was rather impressive to see the human parry Tessaiga, then dodge Miroku's hakujou to finally reflect Sango's Hiraikotsu violently, the tajiya able to jump out of the way of her own boomerang thanks only to her intensive training.

A bit more disturbing, was the undead's reaction at the two interference in his fight – eyes nearly heart-shaped as his attention was on Miroku, and deeming the houshi "cute" too, then face distorting in disgust and anger toward Sango, with his retaliation much more violent against her, when he saw the woman.  
Jakotsu, Tsukiko realized – was very much like Lussuria once upon a time – a frightfully skilled warrior with sadistic tendencies toward his preferred opponent, someone who was prone to toy with his prey rather than attack seriously, and was powerful enough to get away with it...

Still, each time the two fighter's swords clashed, it was becoming more and more apparent that InuYasha was more powerful, and while he may have been more of a brawler for quite a long time, the hanyou was the only one in his pack, alpha excluded, who could boast to have more fighting experience than the human mercenary – and so, bit by bit, he was pushing back Jakotsu, grazing his clothes in several places.  
Luckily for the undead, he wasn't as alone as he'd thought, as he realized at the same time as the pack did when the bodies around them started to dissolve to the ground as a cloud of toxic fumes invaded their battlefield. Taking advantage of InuYasha's distraction, he jumped back "We'll see each other again I'm sure! Bye!"

As for the pack – they shared glances. The way to follow Jakotsu was barred by clearly toxic fumes, but from Tsukiko's and the other youkai's face, the poison wasn't that toxic to them, and after exercising his new senses a bit, Miroku could soon affirm that both Jakotsu and his ally weren't that far away.  
"No point in letting them get away, then!" InuYasha decreed  
"Indeed." Tsukiko agreed easily, looking around her at her pack "Shippou, Kanna." both young youkai were already by her side "We'll go after the poison user, You get Jakotsu."

The humans nodded, not too surprised – for one thing, Tsukiko being more powerful, it only made sense for her to go with the smaller and less experienced group, and to top it the youkai weren't affected by the poison at all, contrarily to the humans of the pack, who simply had an increased resistance to it...  
It was also a clear show of trust in their skill from their alpha – after all, if she'd been worried about them getting badly hurt, she'd never had let them split up. The group couldn't help but smile at the realization the countless hours of training were paying enough that Tsukiko was clearly acknowledging it.

As such, InuYasha was leading Miroku, Sango and Kagome around the toxic cloud to give chase to Jakotsu while Tsukiko, Shippou and Kanna simply forged ahead in it.  
The youkai half of the pack had soon tracked down the poison-maker – between their senses and their alpha ability to see she Shikon shard, it was just that easy.

 **[First goal update (3/7):** +100XP]

Small, flat-faced and with skin greasy from his concoction making, the third shichinin-tai wasn't a model of beauty by any mean – but most of all, he had been unlucky in the draw. Or, more probably, Naraku hadn't even bothered with telling his latest pawn that humans and youkai alike were part of the pack they were sent to chase...  
As such, the poison user eyes widened as he saw the trio step out of the deadly fumes without a hair out of place, and he stumble in both surprise and fear at their lack of reaction to his mixtures.  
"He feels dirty." Kanna commented first with a small frown of distaste, her new found hold on Souls Sense still not refined enough for her to really analyze what made her dislike the man that much behind his clear flaunting the laws of life and death

"This Mukotsu is a perfect example of a corrupted human." Tsukiko explained "Dark mind caring only about himself, he would kill even if team-mates if he stood to gain for it." her eyes darkened with disgust "His favorite victims are young girls."  
As the ookami had stated his name, and preferences, she hadn't stopped prowling toward the poison user, the man trying to sent another vial of poison, even more potent than the previous, without any visible results – throat cut out with a swift movement of sharp claws, the Shikon shard grabbed out of the air by the daiyoukai before his body had even crumbled back to dust under the nearby saimyoushou's angry buzzing.

 **[Second goal update (2/7):** +100XP]

"Talk about anti-climatic." Shippou quipped  
Tsukiko, quickly fishing an empty vial in her **Inventory** to stock the newly gained shard, let her senses blanket the area at the same time.  
"Where to, now?"  
The two younger youkai shared a long, guessing that like often their alpha was testing their abilities – and so both let their senses blanket the area "I can feel Inu-nii and the others against a corpse." Shippou soon stated "But there's the same annoying scent of death coming from another way too..."

Kanna, frowning, confirmed "I can't smell as well as Shippou-chan, but I can feel several recently departed soul in the same area, and a soul past it's time too."  
Tsukiko nodded in satisfaction, and confirmed their deductions, adding to it "From what the villagers were saying earlier, that area is that of a large temple. I'm afraid the priest have already encountered someone from the shichinin-tai."  
"Then let's go!" Shippou commented decisively "We can't save them anymore, but we can at least stop those damn zombies from killing anyone else!"

¤.¤.¤

InuYasha and the rest of the pack had soon left the poisonous area to follow a rapidly going away Jakotsu, heading deeper into the surrounding forest – then InuYasha's nose alerted the pack a split second before a rain of deadly chakram sailed toward them, cutting the trees around them to pieces.  
While Miroku had his water barrier and Sango her Hiraikotsu to act as protection, Kagome's light manipulation wasn't up yet to the level where she could bend it enough to her will to deflect the attack, and so the teenage girl had no choice but to jump out of the way, a nasty gash appearing on her back and shoulder as she was nicked by one of the cutting disks.

By the second wave of the attack, InuYasha was ready, his Kaze no Kizu unleashed against the weapon blowing all of them off course while the hanyou jumped toward the direction the attacks were coming from, followed immediately by Sango while Miroku stayed back to help the bleeding Kagome.  
The enemy InuYasha and Miroku found themselves facing was barely human looking compared to Jakotsu – a grappling hook instead of a left hand, a weapon launcher charged with chakram on his back, a large arquebus stored beside it along with a no less large war-axe, not to mention his stitched face with only one eye visible and his jaw replaced by a metal and leather contraption...

 **[First goal update (4/7):** +100XP]

Seeing the two pack-mates approaching him, the Frankenstein monster like creature let out a deep laugh "Geh he he, I am Ginkotsu, and you InuYasha, and your friends, are not going to escape me!"  
A new wave of chakram were sent toward them, hanyou and tajiya each avoiding on a side to corner the shichinin-tai mercenary – except this time, steel wire had been hidden among the cutting discus, hampering both of the pack fighter's movement, as their weapon were rather large.

"I was told not to let you wave this thing around!" Ginkotsu laughed, gesturing at Tessaiga – and the next moment it wasn't the weapon-launcher but the nearby arquebus that was firing, sending burning projectiles at them  
Still – neither InuYasha nor Sango were helpless, the tajiya dodging behind her weapon while getting out the ninjato she owned but seldomly got to use while InuYasha himself sheathed his blade to jump toward the large zombie all claws out. Meanwhile Kagome, realizing that she would be a liability if she stayed in the way and unable to heal her own wounds, climbed on Kirara, the fiery cat taking to the air to keep her out of the fight.

The next few moments were spent dodging the sharp chakram among the tree while trading blow with their large opponent, each of the pack member taking advantage of the others move to attack.  
But Ginkotsu, proving that he was indeed an experiment fighter even if he didn't look all that bright, was used to fight outnumbered, and while too slow to fully dodge, knew exactly how to move in order for the blow to be less effective, encountering the armored pieces of his outfit or his weapon rather than flesh – and even when Miroku's water halberd finally managed to land a clean blow, the priest was surprised to leave a simple wound when he expected a much deeper wound.  
"The shard's strengthened his skin!" he warned his fellows pack fighters

Sango and InuYasha acknowledged the new information, understanding that it meant Miroku would only be able to harass the tank fighter since he didn't have the strength necessary to land heavy attack – the houshi himself immediately adapting his approach to the fight.  
As the fight went on, InuYasha soon realized that their opponent, while indeed skilled at his form of combat, wasn't used to long skirmish in the forest, probably more used to an open battlefield. As such, while he'd hampered their best weapon at the start of the battle thanks both to his metal wire and the trees around them, he had neglected to take into account that his gunpowder powered weapon and sharp chakram were far from the ideal fighting tools for this situation – and indeed he had created a clearing in the dense forest.  
The hanyou conveyed his realization via the chat, Sango and Miroku's eyes both widening as they realized that indeed – a few more well aimed attack, and both Hiraikotsu and Tessaiga would be once more free to be used.

With that realization made, the trio was quick to aim their attack and movement to lead their oponent to attack where they wanted – and indeed a few moments later, the gunner's eyes widened when he realized InuYasha was once more rushing toward him with his large sword, while the tajiya's boomerang was flying in the same direction. The large man managed to avoid surprisingly well the two attack – only to find himself facing Miroku who this time wasn't shaping his water but simply unleashing a powerful wave, that made Ginkotsu stumble back right in the Kaze no Kizu's path.

 **[Second goal update (3/7):** +100XP]

"We should look for the shard that was maintaining him alive or he could be revived." a tired Miroku pointed out – the last wave had taken a lot out of him  
"Good point." Sango agreed, walking cautiously about the scattered remains of the forest – between Miroku's water attack and InuYasha's Kaze no Kizu, they had effectively completed the destruction of the part of the forest they had been fighting in, even the ground appearing unstable by places...  
But as soon as they started the rather disgusting task, saimyoushou appeared seemingly out of nowhere, having apparently been spying on the battle but stayed out of it – before they could do a thing, the insects had swarmed around Ginkotsu remained, taking the Shikon shard and leaving a pile of bones and gore behind.

"So much for that." Sango sighed "At least they couldn't take the body with them." she shrugged, before turning worried eyes toward Kagome "How bad are you?"  
"It's not that bad." the girl quickly reassured them – her pale complexion going against her words "Tsukiko shouldn't have any difficulty to heal me." she assured, it's just that since it's my back I couldn't even put any salve or bandaging myself..."  
"Then let's hurry up and meet the rest of the pack." InuYasha decreed before tacking another look at the miko from the future "Then again, maybe Sango should put some salve on you before we go."

¤.¤.¤

While InuYasha and his half of the pack were fighting Ginkotsu, his niece's and her charge had arrived at the temple – surprisingly, all was calm.  
Sharing concerned glances at the confirmation that it was too late to save the residents, they sped up the long stairs, to find a bald man in priest's clothes tending to burnt corpses.  
Shippou, who didn't have Kanna's and their alpha's souls sense, looked confused – while their was indeed the characteristic burial ground scent that followed those brought back from the dead, the man in front of them still smelt alive...

"There's a lot of burial soil around the ground, since it's a temple," Tsukiko explained in a low voice as the false priest ambled peacefully toward them "so his scent is lost in it."  
"And he's wearing the clothes of one of those he just killed to have that living scent..." the kit realized on his own now that he had half of the puzzle, nose wrinkling in disgust at the idea

"You know what's the strangest?" Tsukiko announced "He really was praying for them when we arrived..." a shrug "And yet he doesn't have a shred of regret, all that he does is for his own survival." she explained, having picked this up thanks to her soul sense  
They pack didn't have time to say anything else, as the false monk was greeting them with a warm smile only belied by cold eyes, that Shippou knew he could have easily overlooked had he not known the man was an enemy.

 **[First goal update (5/7):** +100XP]

"Travelers?" the monk asked – but by the way he was observing them, it was clear he was recognizing them, probably from descriptions given by Naraku "The region isn't safe I'm afraid, there are bandits around, and rumors are the shichinin-tai have come back from the grave."  
"So we've heard." Tsukiko nodded, amused by the word game, and wondering what he could be looking for since he wasn't attacking  
"Apparently, they are chasing a group of humans and youkai," the undead commented idly "I wonder why."  
Tsukiko smile widened, as she now knew what the man was after – knowledge.

The shichinin-tai were after all far from stupid, to have survived for so long as they had, and being revived under the orders of Naraku wasn't sitting right with them – they knew that it wasn't out of the goodness of his heart that the hanyou had brought them back to life after all, and saw no reason to be loyal to Naraku, not even sure the man wouldn't back-stab them at the first occasion.  
And in the mercenaries' mind, back-stabbing first was the best way to stay alive – but for that, they needed information...

Her smile grew wild as she answered "Easy enough. They're cannon fodder to slow us from tracking Naraku while he's licking the wounds we left him with the last time we saw each other and cook some new way to grow stronger." an amused smile "Naraku likes disposable tools after all."  
"Disposable, uh." the false monk repeated with narrowed eyes "It seems rather strange to me to go through all the trouble of calling back from the grave seven powerful mercenary simply to use them as discardable troop..."

"Naraku look down on humans," Tsukiko answered simply "and he's got enough resources that he doesn't see your resurrection as that big of a deal in the grand scheme of thing... as long as you buy time for whatever he's planing against us in before dying again."  
The affirmation made the undead man eye's widen in surprise, but except for that he remain remarkably calm as he realized they knew what he was "I'm impressed." he commented "After all, no human should be able to tell what I am, and I chose the place specially for you youkai..."

"You were unlucky." Tsukiko answered "Naraku hasn't bothered to give you any information about most of us, he's blinded by his obsession against a few of us and forget about the rest of us..." her smile grew colder and her eyes glowed with power "Now that you've had your little chat, it's time for you to die."  
The man jumped back, swift enough to avoid Shippou's blade – something rather impressive for a human, be it a corrupted one enhanced by a tainted shard, but like Jakotsu he had been a renowned mercenary for years, something that wasn't a small achievement in this era...

"Well, I guess I won't get anymore information from you." the shichinin-tai member casually noted as his face suddenly changed – large dark rest mark forming under his eyes, as if to underline the dark feeling he was oozing, the facade of kindly priest definitely gone "I am Renkotsu of the shichinin-tai," he stated "and I'll be the one to take your lives."  
"You can certainly try!" Shippou retorted with assurance – making Tsukiko inwardly marvel at how far the kit had come in a few month, from the lonely scared child from back then to the young kitsune ready to fight for his life and assured of his own competence

Kana was quietly but intently watching their opponent, not calling attention to her – and, Tsukiko noted with wide eyes using, even if so slightly her Mist Flames to call off attention from her, something she realized only thanks to her experience fighting against flames and their pack-bond...  
As for herself, she was still, knowing that for now Renkotsu's attention was divided between the clear aggressive one – Shippou – and herself simply because she'd called attention to her with their talk.  
Seeing as she was older looking, he'd probably go for her, even though she was a women – the man seemed experienced enough to realize that as a youkai her gender didn't mean anything when it came to fighting prowess.

Sure enough, the undead was suddenly moving – and the attack was large enough to aim at both Shippou and his alpha, several razor-sharp wires hidden in an inferno that the kitsune side-stepped neatly, while the young ookami used the very flame her opponent had sent toward her to rush toward him like a fiery incarnation – and while stunned, the shichini-tai was good enough that he didn't freeze, instead jumping out of her attack reflexively once more, confirming his rather impressive survivor instincts, something rather ironic for a man who'd already died...

By now they were back near the long stair leading to the temple, which meant that Renkotsu had a clear view to the incoming remainder of Shadow's pack – and seeing how the small group in front of him had kept him on his toes, there was only solution left to him...  
A wall of flames went up between him and the eclectic pack, and Renkotsu fled, hoping that the inferno, far bigger than the previous one, would be enough to stall the youkai that had literally walked through his first fiery attack.

Unknowing to him, the undead was in luck – because InuYasha had just used to the vocal chat to confirm to his niece what her senses were already saying to her... she had a hurt pack-mate needing healing, and seeing as the one hurt was Kagome herself, the Shikon Miko couldn't be the one to do the healing.  
As such, no pursuit was given.


	18. Game On 30 XVII Mount Hakurei

**As** promised, here is the next part of Mont Hakurei Arc

* * *

 **Chapter XVI. Mount Hakurei**

 **[First goal update (6/7):** +100XP]

Even without the aid of the lighter version of Chaos' Interface, Kouga and his pack would have understood that the man was one of the Shichinin-tai.  
Except – contrarily to the ones encountered earlier in the day by Shadow's pack, or the one the young alpha had earned his daiyoukai status against...  
This one wasn't evil.

Which wasn't even the strangest part of the day, given the fact they'd followed him to a small village at the base of a mountain so bathed in reiki they were still reeling from the fact it wasn't purifying them on spot.  
But while they did indeed feet weaker than ordinary, the sibling-pack bond with the godly ookami and her pack was lending them protection from the harsh powers emanating from mount Hakurei.  
As such, Tsume's pack had been able to follow the scent of yet another undead – soon encountering a young man with a kind aura gathering herbs while looking over the village's orphaned children, all of them seemingly enamored with the undead.

It left Tsume's pack in a conundrum – attacking mindlessly would just confirm the bad opinion humans had of youkai, but at the same time they couldn't well let the potentially dangerous man mingle freely with the unsuspecting villagers.  
Thinking quickly, Kouga sent his two smallest wolves to follow the man around, the young beasts passing themselves for wild dogs begging for food while the rest of the pack retreated not too far, ready to act if needed but hidden from the villagers – and more importantly from Suikotsu, as the undead had been loudly named by the children around him.

Then, a message was sent to their sibling pack, updating Tsukiko and her pack-mates about the situation.  
The ookami's answer came quickly, informing them that they'd make their way to them and of their own encounters with the Shichinin-tai.

It was a few hours later – while Shadow's pack hadn't arrived yet but probably wasn't too far – that the scent of bones and burial soil suddenly strengthened. The wolves didn't need the look they shared to immediately come out of the nearby wood they'd retreated to and discretely approach the village.  
Moments later, the two pack member they'd left trailing the undead doctor were calling for help and fire was spreading to the village, far too fast for it to be anything but man-made.  
Kouga swore and picked up his pace, pack following, and they soon found themselves in the village, where two new undead were facing the uncomprehending Suikotsu.

"So this is where you had hidden yourself, eh?" the first commented  
"Anyway, we've come to pick you up, Suikotsu."  
"Who are you?"  
At that question the wilder looking undead let out a long suffering sigh "Not this again! Hurry up and wake up!" his sword snaked toward the other who stumbled back, barely dodging the attack "Or I'll really end up killing you!"

"Well," Kouga interrupted "I don't know what's going on..." his smile was wild "But I'm not one for mindless carnage."  
With that, the new daiyoukai took his fighting stance, Goraishi seamlessly covering his own claws, and jumped toward the two man who'd just attacked the village.  
Ginta and Hakkaku shared a glance – and the first stayed to help his alpha while the second went to help the humans that were trying to stop the fire.  
"I don't know why a youkai would care!" the wild undead laughed "But you're cute so I'll fight you!"

Well, reflected Kouga – that answered any doubt he'd had about the Shichinin-tai member's identity – given what Tsukiko had related to them via the chat, this could only be Jakotsu. Which meant the other probably was Renkotsu.  
"Take care of Suikotsu." the bald undead contradicted the first one "I'll fight the wolves."  
"Bah! You want to hog the cute ones to you I'm sure!" Jakotsu protested – yet still keeping his attention on Suikotsu who'd taken advantage of Kouga's intervention to climb back on his feet

Renkotsu didn't even bother answering, attention now on Kouga and Ginta and attacking so fast the two youkai had trouble believing the man had really been human.  
Still, while fire was dangerous they were more resilient than humans and so Kouga chose to take the attack head on while Ginta dodge, hoping to take advantage of the flame to come near the man faster.  
But the bald Shichinin had used the flame to hide a nasty surprise first, the wolf realized with a wince as the large net wrapped around him – and while the metallic wire didn't held a chance against his Goraishi enhanced claws, he was still immobilized, be it for but a few moments.

Thankfully, Ginta was there, preventing their assailant to take advantage of th situation.  
Meanwhile, Jakotsu was attacking again against the undead doctor – except this time the man didn't dodge, instead using his own body to protect a few children who'd come to his help, regardless of the danger.

Blood poured out of the wounds, and Hakkaku, who'd rushed to help the children too, didn't need a newly arrived Kagome's comment of "The shard is becoming tainted!" to guess something had changed  
The aura of the undead, suddenly pouring blood-lust, was a clear enough message by itself.

"Eh! You finally woke up, eh!" Jakotsu laughed  
As for the suddenly not so kind doctor, his attention was on the confused children in front of them – and only Hakkaku's instinctive reaction of protecting the young prevented them from being the target of the mad mercenary's ire.  
"That fucking doctor kept me repressed for a fucking long time!" the man growled, dark red tainted mark transforming his face into that of a monster "I need blood now!"

"Here!"  
Renkotsu, who'd like most on the battlefield had immobilized with their brother's awakening, fished something out of his clothes – throwing to the man a pair of metallic claws that he swiftly slipped on.  
"Well then, who's first?"  
InuYasha's only answer was to jump toward him, all claws out "Tchh. Wanting to fight us with claws, really?" he grumbled as the other expertly dodged out of his way and countered with a bloodthirsty attack of his own  
Seeing their beta busy, Miroku and Sango had immediately turned their attention toward Jakotsu while Shippou and Kanna went to help Hakkaku take care of the villagers with a still weakened Kagome.

As for Tsukiko, she made her way toward Kouga and Ginta just as the other alpha, finally free from the net, went back into the fray by his pack-mate's side.  
But while afraid, the children hadn't yet understood what was going on, managing to escape Hakkaku's gentle grasp to rush toward the nearby fight, this time stopping before getting in the way of the fighters but loudly calling "Suikotsu-sama! Come back!"  
The Shichinin-tai stumbled, a grimace of pain on his face, and didn't dodge InuYasha's latest attack as well as before, the hanyou's claws reddening with his blood.

Having witnessed this in a lull in his own battle, Renkotsu frowned, and called "That's enough, we've got what we've come from."  
"Aw!" protested Jakotsu, while waving "InuYasha! We'll fight next time!"  
As for a groaning Suikotsu, he jumped back too with a frustrated growl "Fucking doctor, not fucking staying asleep..."  
"Do you think we'll just let you get away!" InuYasha protested  
But of course – Renkotsu wasn't stupid and already had planned their escape, fire spreading wildly around them.  
And the mercenary hadn't been wrong – both packs chose to stay and save the village rather than engage pursuit.

By the time they'd help the grateful villagers to put out the fires and tend to the injured, the night had fallen and both packs, exhausted, accepted the hut lent to them for the night without any protest.  
It was only the next morning that all gathered to talk about the situation.

"Those bastards are way too slippery!" InuYasha was the first to loudly protest, Kouga agreeing by his side  
"And they're probably but a distraction Naraku's placing on our way in order to stay hidden..." Sango sighed  
"But even if they're only decoys, we've still got to take care of them." Kagome added; gesturing at the village nearby "Otherwise people are going to get hurt again and again."  
"Besides, we've got to get their shards back, and sent them back to hell." Shippou pointed out logically

"Still there's one thing that bothers me..." Hakkaku finally asked "What was up with that doctor?" a frown "I mean we spied on him for hours and he was a bit wimpy but kind, and suddenly he turned into some kind of rasetsu!"  
"Split personalities." Tsukiko was the one to explain "With only one of them corrupted." she glanced at the village "The doctor must have been staying here because it was near enough from Mount Hakurei that it's aura of purity is already felt."  
"Tell me about it..." Ginta shivered – while they were partly protected by their sibling-pack bond, it still didn't feel good to be near so much purifying reiki  
"And that's probably why they left so fast." Tsukiko continued

"Because when the kids called out to him, he hesitated." InuYasha remembered "But what does it means? I mean, he's still dead isn't he..."  
"It means his soul can be saved, contrarily to the others." Tsukiko answered, before shrugging "But he's still dead, just like you said, so just like the others we've got to send him back to the grave."  
"So what next?"  
"Well, there's still one Shichinin-tai we haven't met, and according to the villagers it's their leader." Miroku pointed out

"And where would I go if I were a recently revived mercenary whose last memories were of getting ambushed by local lords?" Sango wondered  
"I would go find the bastards who killed me." InuYasha answered without missing a beat

They shared worried glances – the lords maybe preparing themselves for the undead Shichinin-tai they still wouldn't stand a chance against the shards' enhanced undead...  
With that, they went to interrogate the villagers, soon learning that they weren't that far from the now empty village where the mercenaries had made their last stand and the neighboring shiro where Bankotsu's, the leader of the band, weapon had been kept.  
When hearing the name of the mountain pass where the shiro stood, Tsukiko swore rather uncharacteristically "This is the pass Ryo wanted to take to get back to the western part of the country!" she announced sharply "And while I've full trust in his fighting abilities, there are dozens of orphans with him!"  
"The Shichinin-tai aren't opponent he'll be able to take care of while protecting children." InuYasha immediately understood his alpha worry – just like the rest of the two pack  
With that, they took leave of the villagers both pack rushing in the direction they'd been aimed at.

Tsukiko, but also Kanna and Miroku felt that something was wrong long before the nose of the youkai picked upon the overpowering scent of blood.  
"People have died recently." Kanna was the one to announce, sorrow in her voice "Countless souls taken far before their time."  
The fact that even Miroku, who contrarily to the little girl was still fully human, could feel it, was telling...

And so the two pack sped up through the dry mountain roads, youkai soon able to smell the blood, and suddenly they stumbled upon the shiro, that had been hidden by the mountain scenery up until then.  
Just like Shadow's holy servant had said – the armies of the local lords had been assembled to protect the weapon of the legendary mercenary, only to be easily cut down by the man with the weapon he'd bloodily reclaimed.

But more worryingly were the ongoing sounds of battle...

* * *

¤.¤.¤

* * *

Ryoichi mentally cursed as once more he wondered how he could have been so out of luck that the one mountain pass he'd decided to take, mainly because it was rather calm and seldomly used by anything but pilgrims going to Mount Hakurei had suddenly become a war zone...  
The worse was, he mused, that they couldn't even go back as making a detour would take several weeks and make them come far too close to a rather secluded clan of mountain spirits that tended to take a very poor view on any intruders on their territory. He didn't fancy starting any blood-feud with spiteful sprites.

And so the kitsune forged on in the tortuous mountain trail, hiding his worry from all the children yet all senses at the ready – with reason, as violence suddenly broke out just as they were nearing the shiro controlling the passage to the West, battle starting and ending so fast the young ones were left stunned as the sweet and potent scent of blood was suddenly covering the area.  
While Ryo would have liked nothing more than to hide all the children away until whatever dangerous monsters around were gone, he couldn't – for there weren't any hiding space and the only way was forward.

And of course, they had already been seen by the shiro's newest occupant, seeing as the building was on a higher promontory than the rest of the road precisely to see the coming and going of the people.  
As they made their way toward the shiro, the older reassuring the younger as best as they could, Ryoichi finally managed to single out the scent of the four people waiting for them at the top of the cliff...

"I doubt we're getting out of this without a fight." he announced to Shinobu, not needing to turn to see the other acknowledge the fact "You'll have to protect the kits."  
"Do you really think you can fight alone?"  
"There's not much of a choice."  
The cat hanyou reluctantly acknowledged the fact – after all if he tried to help his leader rather than protect the children, there was little doubt those murderers would balk at taking advantage of the situation by menacing them...

"These are undeads." the fox went on, this time surprising Shinobu – his nose far less powerful hadn't managed to pick out their scent amidst so much blood "So don't let them play dead if they try to attack you."  
As they neared the four fighters who'd provoked such a bloodbath, it was becoming more and more evident that these weren't youkai...  
"How could humans do something like that?" Shinobu couldn't help but wonder – given the extent of the bloodbath, he'd though their opponent to be at least youkai  
"Corrupted humans can be just as dangerous as any youkai." Ryoichi warned "And worse of all, they seem rather coherent for corrupted beings. They will be dangerous opponents."

The cat nodded his comprehension at the warning, and they were finally in the shiro.  
"Ah," the youngest looking moaned while observing their band of misfits "I thought there may have been a woman or two to serve the sake, since Jakotsu just had to go and kill all of them!" his eyes roamed the group "But it's just brats and one youkai!"

Ryoichi didn't let himself be fooled by the deceptively young and innocent face of the man – his every gesture, even seated like he was, were loudly claiming him a skilled warrior and the weapon negligently resting on his laps looked heavy enough that most normal humans couldn't use it easily...  
"Oh!" another of corrupted humans crowed loudly "Can I kill them then?" a pout "I mean I couldn't even finish properly my fight against Inu-chan, and Renkotsu didn't even let me fight Wolfie!"

Ryoichi mentally swore once more as he realized with the affirmation that he must have somehow stumbled on some of his fiance's opponent – while he knew she was headed north with her pack, he hadn't realized they were that close as the latest news she'd sent were when her wolf-tribe friend had earned his status as daiyoukai...

The leader of the four had lazily waved his agreement at the eager fighter, and the next moment Ryoichi was jumping out of the way, while Shinobu was taking a fighting stance in front of the children, eyeing warily those that hadn't moved yet. Thankfully, they weren't interested in them for now, attention soon caught by the ongoing fight – none of the four having expected the kitsune to last more than a few minutes, yet as soon as the fight had started, all had realized they'd stumbled upon a far better opponent than they expected.

The swordsman was good – very good – with his weapon, Ryo soon realized, and his own weapon, while suited to his fighting style, had a very short range that was putting him at a clear disadvantage against the snake sword that was occupying the battle-ground.  
Still – disadvantage or not, Ryo had his own pride as a warrior, and while annoying, his father was also the strongest kitsune in existence, and hadn't neglected his training, nor been particularly forgiving during the long hours of training, hunting and sparring sessions...

As such, the kitsune was managing to dodge between the blades of the strange sword despite the rather unpredictable movements, and if he wasn't yet in range for his Star Blade, his Fox Fire was something the other was more than close enough to feel.  
Soon, it became clear that despite the situation being heavily favorable for the swordsman, the corrupted human was loosing ground bit by bit – and the man knew it, even if he didn't let anger cloud his mind as he realized that he was loosing. As such, while unwelcome, the intervention of a second fighter wasn't unexpected, even if the other loudly protested "Stop interfering in my fight Renkotsu!"

"Bankotsu's order." the new fighter shrugged "Beside, you're obviously loosing."  
"That's not the problem!"  
The new fighter was more of a range fighter, probably the reason why he'd been sent Ryoichi realized as he canceled the fiery attack aimed at him by flaring his own flames – and while Fox Fire wasn't up to the furnace that now were Tsukiko's flames as an elemental sprite, it was more than enough against the oil started brazier aimed at him by the corrupted human.

"Bah! You're not much more effective than I am, ain't you!" the swordsman taunted loudly  
Taunting or not – the two men were clearly used to fight together Ryoichi realized as they seamlessly adapted their attacks, never hampering the other and one of the two always where the other wasn't...  
While he was starting to take some blows, not able to dodge everything now that he had two adversaries, the situation wasn't yet too bad – and the leader didn't seem inclined to fight for now.

Problems started to arise when the last undead, who was clearly looking the less sane of the group, and more and more antsy as the fight went on, suddenly jumped in, ruthlessly shoving Renkotsu out of his way and barely even looking at Ryoichi "You're doing it all wrong!"  
"What the fuck Suikotsu!" the swordsman protested as he jumped in from of his teammate on the ground to prevent Ryoichi from taking advantage of the situation  
And while indeed Ryoichi hadn't wasted the occasion, Fox Fire licking in the man on the ground's direction – he was keeping an eye on the claw-wearing Suikotsu, who was jumping toward Shinobu...

"The idiot is still too controlled! You've got to make him mad!" a large smile, as the glinting weapon took a swipe at the cat hanyou "And to make people mad, nothing better than a bit of blood, the younger the better!"  
Shinobu had really improved in the few weeks since he'd been introduced to Chaos' Game – because back then, he'd never had been able to dodge the attack, yet here was, not only dodging but returning an attack of his own, using an old pair of trench knives the kitsune had lent him.  
Still – while the yama neko was managing surprisingly well against a fighter that was clearly more experimented, it wasn't a fight he could win yet.  
Ryoichi focused on his own fight, looking for way to hamper his own two opponents enough that he could go and help his misfit number one.  
From the side-line, the mercenary band's leader was now frowning.

Suikotsu's obsession with blood, while amusing, was causing more harm than not he realized, as the kitsune was fighting much violently now, where up until now he'd been focusing on sparring his forces in case the fight was to take too long, he now was giving his all to the fight.  
Taking a blow from Jakotsu's sword to get in range, the kitsune was soon viciously slashing at the swordsman, and sending a large wave of fire in the direction he dodged too, taking advantage of the few moments it took him to jump out of the flames and quell them to turn his whole focus on Renkotsu.

Bankotsu jumped on his feet, clearly realizing that the artificer wasn't cut to fight alone against that youkai – but even his intervention had been accounted for...  
In the moment it took for the Shichinin leader to jump on his feet, and Jakotsu to douse the fire around him, Ryoichi had unleashed his recently restored **Past** **Life** aura, Sun Flames flaring around him patching him up fast enough for it to be visible to the naked eye while enhancing all his reflexes, making the assassin fast enough for his Star Blade to cut right across the bald undead's throat and jump out of the way of Bankotsu's large halberd, the man only forbidding him to take back the shard.

And rather than focus back on Jakotsu and Bankotsu, the kitsune's dodging had taken him right in front of a Suikotsu about to make the final hit against a heavily bleeding Shinobu.  
The fiery blade slashed once more, but Suikotsu was more nimble than Renkotsu, managing to deviate the blow enough that it took his arm rather than his head...

¤.¤.¤

 **[Second goal update (4/7):** +100XP]

The quest update flashed right as their arrived in the shiro – but the two pack didn't gave it a second glance, attention focused on the battle-ground.  
Immediately, Kanna and Miroku jumped toward the numerous orphans, reiki and water shimmering in a protective wall, while Kagome went to Ryoichi's side, Shinobu soon healing faster under both healing gifts combined, the miko naturally adapting her healing powers to blend with the powerful Sun Flames.

As for Shippou – he hadn't hesitated a second, taking a fighting stance in front of the two healers against a Suikotsu still ready to fight despite his missing arm.  
Kouga had jumped toward Jakotsu swiftly, just as InuYasha had blocked Bankotsu's heavy halberd.

 **[First goal complete (7/7):** +100XP, +1 beginner skill tome]

Sango positioned herself at the back of the two fighters – ready to assist either Kouga or InuYasha by making it harder for their opponents to dodge wherever they wanted while Ginta and Hakkaku, after seeing that she was ready to assist their alpha, had gone to help Shippou, knowing that while the kit was very good, his opponent was mad enough to be very unpredictable, something that could fast become dangerous.  
"Right on time, _bambina."_ Ryoichi smiled as he felt his aura recede around him, just as the familiar presence of the young woman made itself known by his side "And with quite a fighting force."

The young ookami smiled fondly – both at her fiance and at the pack-members fighting around them "With how fast they're growing, I barely have any work left to do!" she mock complained  
"I can see that." the kitsune agreed, focused on Shippou's fight  
In the weeks that had went by since they last saw each other, Shadow's pack had indeed tremendously grown, and none made it more evident than Shippou, as he effortlessly leaded the two allied wolves in their fight against Suikotsu, the three of them wilting down the Shichini-tai maddest member bit by bit, until the man was finally brought to the ground, heavily bleeding and too weak to get up.

"Well, what are you waiting for!" he still taunted, foaming at the mouth "Finish me off!"  
"That's not for me to do." Shippou declined, Ginta and Hakkaku holding their attack too  
Tsukiko nodded at the glance sent her way, elegantly stepping away from Ryoichi while her powers swirled around her, making the whole battle-field stop in its tracks.

Suikotsu enraged face grew scared as she floated toward him, anger and fear battling as the corruption mark seemed to waver on his face – and finally disappear, leaving behind another face entirely...  
"You've freed me." the doctor thanked gratefully "He's completely gone..."  
The affirmation made the two remaining Shichinin-tai eyes widen – but the doctor was already completing "But now it's time for me too to go, right?"

"It is." Tsukiko nodded calmly "Your time is already gone."  
"I know." the other agreed easily "I can feel it somehow." a smile "Is it peaceful there?"  
"It is." she confirmed "You won't have to fight."  
"Good." he nodded firmly, now simply waiting  
The wave of power around Tsukiko was gentle as it swirled around the undead, leaving but a purified shard behind, before recessing as fast as it had come.

 **[Second goal update (5/7):** +100XP]  
 **[Hidden goal complete! Peace at last...**  
You've saved Suikotsu's soul  
 **Hidden goal reward:** +100XP, +1 Enhancement Stone to be chosen]

Taking the Shikon's fragment, she walked back toward her two kitsune, ruffling Shippou's hair with a smile before snaking an arm around Ryoichi's waist, firmly pushing the man behind Miroku's and Kanna's barrier, where Kagome had already escorted a reluctant Shinobu – the hanyou's hair still standing on their ends from having to go through the reiki, even if it hadn't harmed him.  
As her powers had calmed down, the last two Shichinin-tai member found themselves wondering why she hadn't taken car of them as she had so easily done with their partner – Jakotsu clearly furious at the ookami hime's action while Bankotsu seemed more contemplative.

And so Jakotsu tried to rush toward the dangerous goddess, only to find his own opponent in his way, while Bankotsu was evading the latest attack InuYasha had unleashed as Jakotsu had renewed the hostilities...  
In the next minutes, it soon became evident that Jakotsu was slowly loosing ground against Kouga and Sango, while InuYasha's opponent was much more skilled – but not only that, the man also had several shards enhancing him where the other Shichinin only had one, something Kagome was soon pointing out as she fired an arrow at the undead, who expertly used his own momentum to hide behind his halberd, and attack InuYasha back in the next moment. And while Kagome's arrow hadn't visibly damaged the halberd, the beta realized that the next attack was less powerful...

The Inu hanyou pushed his advantage, not wanting the lasts of the mercenaries to escape like they'd done several time already, his own Tessaiga soon leaving her own mark against the large weapon – but of course, this was the time saimyoushou chose to start buzzing around, soon followed by a nefariously familiar presence.

Naraku had sent help to the Shichinin-tai in the form of a powerful kugutsu, who made the ground shake on its arrival, and immediately lashed against InuYasha and all those fighting.  
And while all had managed to evade the attack – the kugutsu's objective had been met, as the moment it had taken the fighter's attention, the two mercenaries has swiftly retreated, saimyoushou covering them.

Seeing as the undead were now out of their reach, the two packs fighters focused on the kugutsu, and as powerful as it was it didn't last long against their combined might.  
While they were understandably put out at seeing the last of the mercenaries slipping between their fingers, they still weren't too bitter as their main objective still had been accomplished, since they'd arrived in time to give some needed assistance to Ryoichi.

¤.¤.¤

As tired as all were, they still opted against taking the time to rest – while the warrior were used to it, the children probably would feel better once out of sigh and smell reach from the bloodbath. As such, the two pack and Ryoichi's own band were soon back on the road, if at a more sedate pace, and going back toward the village where Suikotsu had been found.  
And it soon became evident that their fight hadn't been for nothing – as on top of getting rid of two more Shichinin-tai, Naraku's kugutsu's presence had been telling too: the wooden puppet felt unnaturally clean to the holy servants of the group, while the youkai had all identified the scent of water and flowers.

As they approached the village where they'd spent the night the previous evening, it once more became evident that something had changed while they were fighting – as the purifying powers of Mount Hakurei, that had up until now simply been uncomfortable thanks to the holy servants aura of power was now far too powerful for them to seek refuge there.

As such camp was settled in a nearby field, still far enough that it didn't bother the youkai, and the routine of setting camp and going about their evening lessons was soon helping the children calm down, while the packs finally had time to dress their wounds, while Ryoichi was struggling with Shinobu to make the cat stand still, under Shippou's bemused eyes – seeing the usually seemingly cool kitsune bicker like a child more surprising for him than Kagome, who already knew her alpha's fiance well...  
Soon, the humans of the group, that had headed toward the village to barter for food, were coming back – with, surprisingly, quite a few of the villagers in tow, the children helped by Suikotsu among them.

The villagers had taken far less as payment than they could have, grateful for the two pack of youkai's help the day before, and even more impressed when they realized that the new addition was helping orphans – just like Suikotsu had...  
Part of their fight of the day was retold for them, edited enough for the children, to let them know that the kind doctor, while he couldn't stay among the living, had been saved before dying – and it had given a small measure of comfort to the orphans.

"Still... It's going to be dangerous for you to move alone as long as Naraku's pawn are still around."  
"It is." the kitsune agreed "Shinobu has grown, but from what I've seen of the two remaining fighters, he couldn't take them on."  
"We could let some of our own in protection." Kouga pointed out "It's not as if we'd be able to all fight at once against two enemies, or even three if the bastard sends a kugutsu."  
"Kouga's right." InuYasha nodded easily "And we could probably move around faster with less people."

The next day, they soon settled on InuYasha circling the mount's western side with Kagome, Shippou and Sango while Kouga, Hakkaku and Ginta were taking Miroku with them, his own shadow wolf thankfully now grown enough to carry him, and circling the eastern side.

Both side were to be looking for the origin of the scent and the feel of purity they'd felt on Naraku, thus the need for each group to have a holy servant with them – and of course, Kouga had annoyed InuYasha by loudly asking for Kagome to come with him...  
Meanwhile Kanna and Tsukiko would stay by the band of misfits' side, the two holy servant ensuring that both Ryoichi and his soon-to-be beta would rest properly and ready to fight if the need arose.

InuYasha's group had been traveling at a fast-paced rate, the hanyou's nose checking the water points around Mount Hakurei, while Kagome was looking out for the reiki's she'd felt the day before when they stumbled on a young boy loudly arguing with some villagers.  
Apparently the child wanted them to lend him a boat to go and look for his father, who'd disappeared a couple of weeks earlier – and the villagers were refusing, explaining that they feared being cursed for stepping a foot of the sacred island.

If the child's plea hadn't already made the trio want to help, hearing about the sacred place settled it – this was a place they hadn't checked yet after all.  
Soon, they were gathered with the boy's three sisters, who went on explaining that tending to Hijiri's Island sacred ground was a task that had been upheld by the male of their family for generations...

After explaining more about the origin of the holy ground, that was the enshrining place of Hakushin-shounin, a sokushin-butsu – in other words a mummified priest whose body was still tended to in the shrine, and who'd been protecting the island, lake and village ever since...  
"We'll take care of your brother." Kagome promised to the three sisters moments later, as they were taking their leave – heading out to check the island, with the young Shintarou volunteering himself as their guide, since he was the only one knowing how to navigate the area  
The trio was soon on a boat, Shintarou guiding them – and soon, all could feel the power of a barrier – far less powerful than that of Mount Hakurei...  
But giving the same feel of reiki as it.

And as their boat came in view of the small island, the reiki intensified, InuYasha feeling the power battling against his own youki – a few moment later, they'd banked on the sanctuary's shore, and were immediately met by a sweet and familiar scent, as the scenery around them was that of a flower field giving off the exact same smell and feeling as what they'd felt coming from Naraku.  
Shintarou looked around, bewildered "Those flowers weren't there before!" the children announced, before speeding up  
They followed him, and within moments stumbled upon the shrine, that had been thorn apart by a violent attack.

Another hurried step – and the boy stumbled – looking back at what he'd hit, his eyes widening in horror as he recognized the clothes worn by the skeleton that had been in his way...  
"Oyaji..."  
The small pack shared a glance – two weeks was too short a time for a human body to decay that much, clearly confirming in their minds Naraku's involvement with the situation.

A second later, Kagome finally was able to put a name on the niggling feeling that had been unsettling her since they'd arrived on the island...  
"Shikon shards!" she warned them "The barrier had been hampering my senses until now!"  
A moment later, Bankotsu was lazily stepping out of the half-destroyed building, halberd resting across his shoulders "You took your fucking sweet time coming!" a frown "Even for a human like me it's annoying to spend that much time here! But well, it must be worse for a hanyou eh?" he eyed the group "And the youkai won't even come near visibly..."  
They didn't bother with correcting the undead, instead swiftly falling into their fighting stances.

The mercenary rushed toward InuYasha, and all could see that the previously damaged weapon had been repaired and powered up – thanks to a shard embedded where the Kaze no Kizu had cut it the day before.  
But more shocking the realization, the next moment – that InuYasha couldn't unleash his weapon's attack, the reiki barrier around them neutralizing his youki.  
"Ah!" Bankotsu laughed "I can see why I was told to wait here now!"  
Well – that confirmed the bad feeling they'd had since the undead had stated he'd been waiting for them – this had been a trap crafted for them.

But while InuYasha was indeed put at a disadvantage with his youki sealed by the island's barrier, Sango wasn't hampered at all, and by now she could use her Lightning Flames well enough that empowering her Hiraikotsu with their hardening property was child's play – as such when the tajiya realized Tessaiga wasn't unleashing her attack, she'd immediately sent her weapon to deflect the heavy halberd Bankotsu favored, something the mercenary clearly hadn't expected.  
As for Kagome, she was following Shintarou, that was rushing toward the shrine, calling for the resident holy man's protection. In the boy's back, the miko couldn't help but frown – because between the powerful aura of Mount Hakurei and the reiki specifically attuned to blocking youki here, it was becoming pretty apparent to her that whatever holy servant had been here, he clearly wasn't intent on helping them.

The shrine was empty – which rose the question... Who was maintaining the barrier around the island?  
The answer was rather evident for Kagome, since this had been one if the first thing she'd learned in the past: if no one was maintaining the barrier, then it was a ward, and as such anchored to something. All that was left was to find the anchor.

The futuristic girl centered herself, letting her powers swirl around her, looking for anything that could be it, while Bankotsu, while initially surprised, had soon adapted to his fight against both hanyou and tajiya.  
As for said hanyou, he was growing frustrated – as not only his weapon had lost most of her powerful attack, and wasn't better than any normal sword right now, but even himself was affected by the hostile reiki, Chaos Game clearly announcing that all of his main characteristics were halved. And while that didn't make him weak or anything like that, since he still had his own battlefield experience, he could feel small wounds he'd not even realize he'd taken usually take their toll on him, muscle strain when they usually didn't...

Of course, Sango was taking the slack, but while an excellent warrior, it was evident that she was more used to fight against beasts youkai than humans, while the mercenary on the contrary was at home fighting against them.  
It was as if the frustration was push forward he'd needed – as the flame that had up until now just outside of his grasp were suddenly answering his call, harmonizing with Tessaiga just like Sango's own green flame did with Hiraikotsu.

It was just as Kagome found the souce of the annoying ward that InuYasha unleashed his attack, ruby red flames met with Bankotsu's halberd, only for the undead to jump back immediately, eyes wide as he realized that the previously powerless Tessaiga's edge had this time immediately started to eat at his own weapon, having left a clear mark in the split second it took him to put his weapon out of harm's reach...  
"What the fuck!" loudly protested the mercenary, understandably never having seen such an attack – only to swore once more, as around them, the field of flower dissipated

"This was Hakushin-shounin-sama's bugutsu..." Shintarou explained while eyeing the iron tool with suspicion in his eyes – even the young boy was starting to realize that however holy the priest may have been in life, right now he clearly wasn't on their side  
The next moment, the young boy was proven right as the dokko, as if possessed – or rather, probably controlled from afar – was suddenly speeding toward InuYasha's, who was clearly preparing to unleash his Kaze no Kizu, Storm Flames empowering the attack...

Sango was swearing right along with her beta when the youkai blade was purified before it could unleash its attack, even loosing it's fang-shape to revert to that of a normal katana.  
But while it was disheartening, the hanyou didn't hesitate in pursuing the fight, as his blade was still humming with red flames, and Sang followed suit immediately, even Kagome getting her bow out – while she would be useless at close range, the undead was still a corrupted being, something her reiki could fight...

As if sensing the danger, the dokko was flying once more, and a new barrier enfolded Bankotsu a mere moment before the three attack hit him, in a show of power that would av probably ended him.  
The new barrier shimmered in the color of the multiple attack, before disappearing, taking with it both mercenary and dokko.

 **[Hidden goal complete! Gone with the wind...**  
You turned Naraku's trap around, forcing Bankotsu to retreat  
 **Hidden bonus goal complete! Family duty**  
You helped Shintarou find out what happened to his father  
 **Hidden goal reward:** +200XP, +1 blessed Armor piece  
 **Hidden bonus goal reward:** +400XP, +1 beginner skill tome]

The trio helped Shintarou gather his father's remain before heading back to the village, helping the boy to break to news to his sisters before heading back toward the field they'd left their alpha in the morning, sending a message to the other traveling group about the latest happening.

¤.¤.¤

As such, all were soon gathered back to the makeshift camp, and coming to the only logical conclusion "We're going to have to head toward Mount Hakurei, and find a way to drop the barrier." Kagome was the one to summarize  
"But since Naraku is clearly hiding, this is going to be dangerous, especially with how few humans you are." Kouga pointed out

"I think I could go too, since I'm a miko." Kanna mused  
Tsukiko nodded in agreement, but stayed silent.  
"And maybe..." this time she was more hesitant "If I was only focusing on my reiki, I probably could protect a youkai from the barrier."  
Miroku and Kagome shared a wide-eyed look at the affirmation, but immediately started to think about it – the young shadow sprite was right, they realized, by focusing on making a small barrier they probably could do it...

"Except a barrier would mean they wouldn't be able to dodge or fight out of it." Sango was the one to point out  
It was at that point that Kagome's eyes fell on InuYasha's now mostly useless subduing necklace...  
"We could anchor the protection around praying beads!"

The rest of the afternoon, the holy servant spent crafting praying beads to enchant, then by the evening they made a test by visiting the nearby village – coming to the conclusion that the necklace were good enough to last a few hours without being recharged by a holy servant in the village, but that they would probably empty much faster on the mount itself, thus still necessitating the holy servants full attention.  
Finally, groups were settled on for the next day, and soon most were lounging around the evening fire...

"So... You do know how pack works right?"  
Shinobu startled, not having expected the question, and stared inquisitively at his fellow hanyou, who settled down by his side "I mean you've already taken over the position of Ryoichi's beta, but somehow I'm not sure you've realized..."  
The inu sighed as the blank eyes confirmed it to him – the kit really hadn't realized. It wasn't that surprising after all, since he wasn't even a canine, but the damn kitsune could have taken the time to explain! Then again, knowing Ryoichi, he probably found it much more entertaining not to explain anything...  
As such the beta spent part of the night explaining things he had only learned himself thanks to Tsukiko, neither realizing that their two alpha were observing with fond amusement nearby.

"Poor kit, he hasn't chosen the easiest alpha, has he?" Tsukiko laughed  
"I don't see what you mean." Ryoichi protested halfheartedly "Besides it's his fault! If he wasn't so amusing when peeved, I wouldn't rill him up..."  
"So, where will you be headed once the Shichinin's menace is over?"  
"Nikko." Ryoichi announced "It's not like I can head north much longer with how bad the weather will soon be and the number of kits I'm traveling with. Besides, the little beta is due for a meeting with Totosai, he's more than earned it with his latest fight."  
"And somehow I've got the feeling the poor neko will find facing the old blacksmith without any warning..."  
The innocent smile her fiance answered with was more than telling...

Finally, conversations trailed down in the group, and people gathered for the night. Tsume's pack was close enough from Shadow's that they were sharing personal heat, Ryoichi settling easily among them and dragging a surprised Shinobu with him, while most children, canine or not found their way around the two pack – both to find a bit more heat, and because as orphans they tended to miss the rather familial atmosphere they were giving off.

 **[Life Challenge LV200! Naraku's playing ground...**  
note that the War Time Map System has been enabled for this event  
 **Goal:** survive  
 **Bonus goal:** gather War Points (WP)  
 **Reward:** +200XP, +1 alternate life Perk upon completion  
 **Bonus reward:** +1000XP for each 2000WP gathered, one enhancement stone to be chosen for each 5000WP gathered, one beginner Tail skill book for each 10 000WP gathered, +1 Tail Perk for each 25 000 WP gathered

 **[System Log:** War Time Map

The War Time Map automatically monitors the area where a battle is fought. It monitors the on-going fight and give out War Point according to the strategic objective conquered, boss enemies vanquished and so one...]

 **[Shichinin-tai vanquished before entering the mountain (5/7): 5*1000WP]**

"Well," Ryoichi was the first to comment as the new notification was the first thing to great them the next morning "I didn't expect that."  
"You've already seen this?" Kagome asked curiously  
"Once." Tsukiko nodded "On a day the world nearly ended."

"Way to reassure us!" InuYasha grumbled  
"Well, I doubt the end of the world is on the board here," Tsukiko pointed out "And since we already knew we were heading toward the mountain to find Naraku, it's not too surprising to gain a quest related to him."  
"True." Kagome nodded "Then I guess we're going ahead as planned?"  
"We are."

With that, they headed out as intended, Kagome, Kanna, InuYasha leaded by Kouga on one side, while Tsukiko was leading Miroku, Sango and Shippou.  
While they had debated about pairing InuYasha and Kouga together – the two had proved several times already that despite always bickering around the camp fire, when it was time to fight they were able to act together well. And of course, the holy servants had also been divided evenly between the two groups.

Ginta and Hakkaku were staying in the camp with the wolves, but also Blanche and Kirara, as one was too young for the battlefield despite being a holy being, while the other would have been one more youkai to protect for the holy servants – as for Padfoot, the Grimm was following Kagome on his mistress' orders while Shingetsu, Miroku's own familiar was staying with them.  
The two groups split up from the get go, each circling once more the mount from their side – but this time close enough that they'd find a path to go up.

 **[Tsukiko entered Mount Hakurei (barrier): +1000WP]  
[Miroku entered Mount Hakurei (barrier): +500WP]  
[Sango entered Mount Hakurei (barrier): +500WP]  
[Shippou entered Mount Hakurei (barrier): +1000WP]**

Tsukiko's group was the first to enter the barrier, soon finding a small trail in the vegetation heading upward.  
The mount was unnaturally still, the purity generated by the barrier even uncomfortable for the humans, and visibly even animals had opted to stay out of the area...  
Kouga's group found it's own way to the mount's flank a few moments later...

 **[Kouga entered Mount Hakurei (barrier): +1000WP]  
[Kagome entered Mount Hakurei (barrier): +500WP]  
[Kanna entered Mount Hakurei (barrier): +1000WP]  
[InuYasha entered Mount Hakurei (barrier): +500WP]**

Kouga's group had found the steeper trail, and soon the vegetation was lessening, replaced by bare ground and dirt – then the trail was abruptly cut, and a few meters ahead, they could see the mouth of a cave. Padfoot grew to his larger size, taking Kagome with him, and the four were soon over the broken road, and heading in the darkness...

 **[Kouga's group entered Mount Hakurei (lower level): 4*500WP]**

Time seemed to distort in the dark, but eventually, the corridor they were in led into a large cave, with a narrow way circle up and down around it – and more importantly, the oppressive feeling of reiki disappeared, only to be replaced by malevolent youki...  
All over the cave, a veritable army of youkai was herded, crowding the large area and flooding it with their youki – and visibly there to supervise them, Kagura.

Soon, their presence was remarked, and the youkai rushed to the attack in a disorderly mess, while Kagura stayed back to observe, eyes widening as she realized that Kanna's arrow were enhanced with reiki.  
As if feeling the gaze on her, the young sprite raised her eyes toward her young sister, and gave her a disarming smile.

From the place he was plowing through the low-level youkai, Kouga noted the silent exchange – and the wind spirit's face didn't hide how much she wanted to ask about her sister's rescue, or Tsukiko's hint at a salvation, yet couldn't because as much as she was supervising them, the youkai would also report anything strange she did to Naraku.  
Kanna it seemed had come to the same conclusion as him, as the youkai miko started to steadily make her way toward her sister, spearing their attack contrarily to her usual position at the rear, shadows swirling menacingly around the usually calm girl...

While Kouga's group was fighting the massive swarm of youkai, Tsukiko's group had continued heading toward the top of the mount by the outside - and at the top, they were rather surprised to stumble upon a large temple, having nearly forgotten that the place was holy because of how dangerous the reiki had been...

 **[Tsukiko's group entered Mount Hakurei (temple): 4*500WP]**

But here, the intense feeling of purity was much more peaceful, as if simply the aura of a very powerful holy servant - which was exactly what it was, they realized once inside, as they had found the missing sokushin-butsu from Hijiri Island.  
If Shippou was the only one to let out a rather girlish scream of fright, Miroku and Sango did stumble too as the mummified man's eyes opened and zeroed on them...

"Who are you?" the mummy asked, making Shippou shiver at the unearthly vision  
"Visitors." Tsukiko lightly answered, before asking more seriously "You are the mots powerful houshi I've ever met, yet you've come back from the dead and work with someone as innately evil as Naraku... Would you mind telling me why?"  
Shippou was the only one remembering their alpha questioning Kikyou in the same way back when the hag was trying to resurrect her, but the other two weren't too surprised either – the man was an undead, something she naturally felt personally involved with, and her question was one they all had wondered about...

¤.¤.¤

 **(begin flashback)**

Hakushin-shounin, while living, had been a priest of great power and benevolence, helping any and all without any hesitation, so much that eventually people built a purification center for him at the base of Mount Hakurei, where all would come seeking his help.  
Eventually, famine fell on the country, during several year, and eventually even Hakushin himself collapsed, falling ill after tending to the sick.

People gathered, grieving, and asking who'd save them if the benevolent man passed away.  
And so, ready to save people even in death, the priest became a living Buddha.  
With everyone watching, he was buried alive, a single pipe connecting him to the outside, ringing a bell continually for as long as he was still alive, while everyone outside prayed for him to enter heaven.

But alone in the dark, the holy man was suddenly plagued by doubts, by the will to live and the fear of the dark – and so while his life ended, his body did indeed remain a holy relic protecting the people, but his soul was left alone in the darkness.

An eternity seemed to go by, until suddenly, he wasn't alone anymore...  
"It's ok to hate them." the man had said "You wanted to live yet they all selfishly took even your life for themselves, never thinking about you. Come, and live with me."

 **(end flashback)**

As the holy servant finished retelling his tale, his unblinking eyes were on Tsukiko "This is how I came to be here. So tell me, holy one, how will you judge me?"  
"You've told me how you came to be here." Tsukiko pointed out "Not why."  
"I follow him because evil he may be, Naraku still save my soul. I who'd been a saint all my life, was lost and suffering in death... He made me realize that I was no saint, and that it was ok to hate people."

"Yet if you were saved... Why are you so sad?"  
It was only as she said it that Miroku realized that the nearly overwhelming feeling of grief he'd felt ever since arriving in the temple could of course only be coming from one person only – that Naraku may have fooled the priest with his words, he hadn't managed to corrupt the man's soul yet, which was the only reason why his reiki remained so pure instead of descending into the darkened version fallen holy servant possessed.

"Sad?" the man parroted, surprise in his voice – and wonder too  
"Sad." the young goddess confirmed "You should realize that no dead soul can deceive me, houshi."  
"I do."  
They must be too used to travel with a goddess, Miroku realized wryly - as it was only as their alpha casually stepped into the man's personal barrier as if it wasn't there that they realized that ever since she'd started talking with the man, the ookami had stopped controlling her aura, that was unmistakable in a place a sanctified as the man's temple. And of course, no man's reiki, as powerful as he was could keep a god out...

There was no revulsion in Tsukiko when she stepped on the dais where the man was seated, kneeling to be at eye level with him before taking the fragile hands.  
"It's not the people who prayed for your death that you hated, isn't it? It's being confronted by your own weakness."  
"I wanted to die the death of a saint... but instead I became afraid..." the man admitted, talking more for himself than the people around him "I didn't want to know how weak I was!"

"But being weak is alright." Tsukiko reminded him "Human or youkai, even for gods, we can't always be perfect, it is but an ideal to strive for..." her eyes were sad "But you despaired so over your own flaws that you forgot this, and prevented yourself from passing over."  
"Prevented myself?" the priest repeated once more, eyes wide at the affirmation that indeed was surprising everyone

"Of course. You found yourself wanting, and unworthy of heaven and as such trapped yourself in the darkness..." a smile "You just have to realize that you were allowed to be afraid, and you'll find the way."  
Hakushin's parched face came alight with wonder at the absolution, and whispered "Oh, I see now..."

And indeed he must have seen – because the next moment, he'd disappeared with a smile, the reiki around the temple finally peaceful.

 **[Hidden bonus goal complete! Stairway to heaven...**  
Hakushin-shounin found peace and finally moved on  
 **Hidden bonus goal reward:** +1000XP, Hijiri's Blessing perk (+10 to Light affinity and Spiritual Resistance) unlocked]

 **[Level up!** You are now level 185!  
 _+1SP, +2CP]_  
 **[Level up!** Kagome is now level 147!  
 _+2SP]_  
 **[Level up!** InuYasha is now level 172!  
 _+1SP]_  
 **[Level up!** Shippou is now level 146!  
 _+2SP, +2CP]_  
 **[Level up!** Miroku is now level 146!  
 _+2SP, +2CP]_  
 **[Level up!** Sango is now level 142!  
 _+4SP, +2CP, +1PP]_  
 **[Level up!** Kanna is now level 143!  
 _+3SP]_

 **[Person of interest neutralized (Hakushin-shounin): +500WP]**

 **[Mount Hakurei barrier broken: +1000WP]**

The group acknowledged the notifications with a though, and continued to explore the temple, soon finding a door that lead toward the inside of the mount...

 **[Tsukiko's group entered Mount Hakurei (higher level): 4*500WP]**

As soon as they'd left the temple, they realized that indeed – the barrier around Hakurei had fallen, and that while in the temple they hadn't realized the effect it had outside, now that they'd stepped out of the temple's protection, the feeling of malevolent youki was oozing around, stronger than any had ever felt.

"Well, this may not be an end of the world scenario, but if we let that much youki spread around, there soon won't be anything alive around..." Tsukiko whispereddarkly as she realized just how potent the dark feeling was  
And Miroku had to agree – for now the youki was still, if barely contained to the mountain, and even from the inside they could see the negative effect it was having, the few wild plants growing inside having already withered.

If this got out of the mountain, all the villages at the feet of the mount would be wiped from the map...

"There has to be something we can do!" the priest protested, mind already trying to find a solution  
While informing both the other group and Ryo over the voice chat, Tsukiko's mind was running too – juts like her priest and pack-mate, she had no intention of letting so many needless death happen...


	19. Game On 30 XVIII Confrontation

**And** the last part of this Arc!

* * *

 **Chapter XVIII. Confrontation**

From the field where the children had been going about their day to day occupations, the moment where the barrier around mount Hakurei fell was clearly felt by all – as the oppressive purity was suddenly replaced by a malevolent aura much worse, that was even felt by the nearby villagers.  
Just like Tsukiko would realize moments later, it was clear to the assassin's mind that if such corruption was to spill, they, and all the nearby villages, wouldn't hold a candle to it.

And while he had a few fighters with him, the two adult wolf-tribe members, dozen of wolf beasts and nekomata would never be enough to protect the village against the swarm, to say nothing of the feeling of the youki itself - there was a reason why Nikko was a youkai exclusive zone after all, and it wasn't simply communitarianism.  
Worry marring his brow, he gestured for Shinobu to start helping the children pack, and going himself to help, soon making them move to the village.  
Meanwhile, he didn't stop paying attention to the vocal chat, where all were brainstorming for a solution.

The simpler, and ideal solution would have been to erect a purification barrier to replace the suppressing one that had been hiding the youkai until then – but Houkushin had been one of the very few holy servant able to do something of that scale and power alone.  
Then came the solution of protecting each village individually, which would take less power – but given how constrained by time they were, it really wasn't feasible in time.  
There was also the option of using divine powers, there were two gods at hand – but Tsukiko was the only one to have ever used her powers on such a scale, and right now Death's touch wasn't what was needed. But Ryoichi hadn't the advantage of being blessed by Magic – if he was the one to act on this scale, it would take its toll, that much was clear.

Of course, that didn't mean he wouldn't do it.  
Still – he had three holy servants not to far, and a goddess – he wouldn't be alone in his task.  
With that said, he smiled at Shinobu, and left the bewildered cat in charge.

 **[Ryoichi entered Mount Hakurei: +500WP]**

Time hadn't stopped while the holy servants were brainstorming – and as Tsukiko's group was roaming the upper levels of Mount Hakurei, they soon encountered another opponent – one they would have to fight this time...  
"Mou!Why is it that I can never fight InuYasha?" Jakotsu loudly complained, eyeing Sango and Tsukiko with distaste – mingled with a healthy bit of well hidden fear in the ookami's case "Eh, I guess I can still have fun with the priest!"

"You won't." Shippou contradicted, stepping forward, Sango following suit "We'll take care of him alpha, Miroku, you take care of the country!"  
The wolf hime and the human priest were both rather proud of their young pack-mate as he once more rose to the challenge, Sango's Hiraikotsu already flying toward Jakotsu the only confirmation needed from the tajiya. With a nod, they turned back, heading once more toward the temple they had left moments earlier, knowing that they would soon be met with Kagome, Kanna and Ryoichi.

Jakotsu had tried protesting the two's departure – or rather Miroku's one, he couldn't give a damn about the female – but Shippou's Fox Fire had been in his way.  
And while the mercenary had been tempted to forge on anyway, that fire not yet as bad as the elder kitsune's had been the day before, he couldn't, as the tajiya's weapon was coming toward him. He sent his snake sword in the way of the large boomerang, then soon realized that the unusual weapon had left behind a mark before leaving "Fuck! Poison!" he realized, not having faced the woman long enough until then to have noticed it.

Just like Ryoichi, Shippou favored short-ranged blades that weren't well suited against the adaptable snake blade – but contrarily to the red kitsune, Shippou may have started his growth spur, he was still small, and his agility was second only to his alpha and beta in their pack. As such, the young fox was dancing between the heated attack as if he was dancing, steadily coming nearer from the mercenary, while the man was prevented from getting away by Sango and her Hiraikotsu, always in the way of his dodging.  
"You're not too bad for a child!" the mercenary was soon praising – and from his wild smile, the kit realized with a startle that the undead really was enjoying their dangerous fight "And you'd have been such a looker in a few years!" the man added with a pout, while he rushed toward the kit, his sword retracting to a more traditional length swiftly enough that Shippou couldn't dodge in time

Sango eyed the wounded kit with worry – but even if he couldn't hide a wince at large gash biting in his shoulder, that a few centimeters to the side would have ended his life, Shippou merely put a hand on the wound, a sizzling sound permeating the air as his fire cauterized the wound.  
It would scar – but like this he wouldn't bleed out, seeing as no holy servant was nearby, and that right now they had better to do than heal him, the kitsune mused.

"Aw! I was enjoying that blood, spoilsport!" Jakotsu protested  
"Well I enjoy my life much more!" Shippou bit back  
The next moments were harder – the fox had shifted his weapon to his off-hand, and while he was proficient with it, he wasn't as good as with his main hand, while Jakotsu had stopped trying to get away from him and instead was fighting at close range too, the mercenary frighteningly skilled with his blade even at this distance, and even able to keep Sango away quite easily...  
It was evident after all – the woman was just a bother to him, as such he was vicious in his attack against her, while he was playing around with the kitsune, enjoying their fight too much to end it swiftly, both realized.

Still, it was that lackadaisical attitude that meant that Shippou still had a chance, something both member's of Shadow's pack realized.  
In the next minutes, they both worked together to make the man forget about the tajiya's presence – the young woman attacking less and less after feigning one of the attack to have hurt her far more than real, while Shippou's fledgling Mist Flame, while not yet as efficient as Kanna's, were making the girl's presence seem less important.  
This was something they had to do carefully, as someone as in tune with his surroundings on the battlefield as Jakotsu wasn't easily fooled – but bit by bit, the kit focused all the mercenary's attention on him, taking a few bad blows in the process.

Until finally, the undead was looming, confident in his superiority – and having completely forgotten about Sango, who chose that moment to strike.  
Hiraikotsu cut the man in two, poison eating at him, and Shippou, who'd nimbly ducked under the boomerang, jumped to his throat, claws digging in and coming out bloody – but with the shard that had maintained the man alive.

 **[Second goal update (6/7):** +100XP] **  
[Person of interest killed (Jakotsu): +500WP]**

¤.¤.¤

Kanna was near Kagura when the cave trembled around them, as the reiki barrier surrounding the mount fell.  
But more than the reiki's disappearance, what really shocked the group that was in the lower levels of the mountain was the shudder that was suddenly followed by a steady beat around them, echoing in all of the cave...  
"A heartbeat." InuYasha was the first to identify the sound, a niggling instinct telling him this had to be bad  
The hanyou was right they all realized – and all knew that a heart beat powerful enough to echo through the whole cave couldn't be good.

"It's coming from down there." Kouga pointed out  
"I guess we know where we're going now?" InuYasha concluded, turning toward Kanna "Nearly done here?"  
Kanna gave a last look at her sister, shadows gathering around her before lashing at the other spirit from all directions – they were after all in a cave, a place with shadows aplenty, an easy playground for her...  
Without a second glance at the older looking woman, she nodded "I'm ready, beta-nii."

InuYasha and Kagome eyed their youngest speculatively, wondering what they hadn't seen – but now wasn't the time ask. The human miko swiftly mounted on Padfoot, and the four were soon jumping right in the middle of the swarm, falling down and under, using the walls to slow their fall from time to time while sending the youkai around them packing with large waves of youki and reiki.  
It soon became evident, that the deeper they went, the strongest the enemies were becoming, as such Kouga eventually halted their fall, knowing they'd need to be more serious about their fights soon enough.

That was when Tsukiko's message arrived, informing them of something vital they had missed as they were already so deep in the youkai swarm they hadn't realized how potent a threat it was for the outside.  
"Will the two of you be alright?" Kagome fretted as decision was made to split up  
"Keh, the brat and Sango won't waste their time finding us." InuYasha pointed out "Go do what you can, and we'll do what we can."

The miko nodded at the reassurance, realizing her beta was right, and Kanna jumped beside her on Padfoot, shadows swirling around the Grimm as his paws hit the ground.  
Now that they'd stopped going the short way, the wolf and inu hanyou were once more traveling in tunnels going around the large cave, aiming downward – and soon, both could feel the familiar scent of bones and burial ground, Bankotsu announcing his presence moments later by swiftly swinging his halberd at both of them "Ah! Let's see how your weird flames compare to my Banryuu now!"  
The beta hadn't needed the taunt to realize the weapon had changed once more "Keh, you're playing around with more shards, eh."

Indeed – the mark left by his flames earlier had disappeared, and the weapon was bristling with power. But not only that, the undead himself seemed different, he realized after a few more exchanges.  
"Not only your weapon but you too. What a wimp, needing so much of the blasted things to fight!" he taunted  
"Bah, power was made to be used!"

As for Kouga – he understood now, how evident it was that this was but a borrowed strength , because no matter how more powerful the undead had become, his fighting abilities and experience hadn't changed.  
Against the hanyou alone, his raw strength would perhaps had made him a problem, but right now, they were two against him, both youkai having decades of experience on him – InuYasha even more-so than him, even if he would never admit it to Tsukiko's annoying beta.

The mercenary had been surprised when InuYasha had stashed his blade, instead coming at him with claws only – but the hanyou knew what he was doing, her realized moments later, as the beta's claws were soon ripping of the flesh, and snatching a shard from his left arm, the wound not healing as swiftly as other wounds had done since he'd been awakened from the grave – the result, he could guess, from those annoying, and most of all unknown red flames.

Kouga was taking the shard in his second arm a moment later, Goraishi leaving deep gouging wounds behind, even if those were closing contrarily to the gash caused by the hanyou, and bit by bit, the two canine cornered the mercenary, proving once more the flawless and natural teamwork that had caused them to be paired together.  
They didn't bother taking the shard's in the man's leg, Kouga instead managing to push him right in the path of a Storm Flame enhanced Kaze no Kizu that cut the man in two.

They were faced with the deranging vision of the half body still alive and trying to put itself together once more, but Kouga was already taking care of the two shards in the lower body half, while InuYasha was taking out the last shard from his throat, and Banryuu's two.

 **[Life Quest Complete! The Seven Undead...**  
 **Reward:** +100XP, +1 Stone Enhancement to be chosen, Shichini-tai added to Boss List]

 **[Person of interest killed (Bankotsu): +500WP]**

"You know," Kouga commented as they took the time to rest a bit to let their wounds close up "They may have been murderous bastard, it still was rather cruel of Naraku to call them back from the dead only to use them, not caring a bit as they died a second time one after the other."  
"It was cruel, but they still caused a lot of unnecessary deaths in those days they were back. Don't waste your time pitying them, those bastards are better dead."  
"That they are." a new and welcome voice agreed – Shippou and Sango had caught up with them  
Kouga checked briefly that all were good to go, and they were once more heading down.

 **[Kouga entered Mount Hakurei (underground): +500WP]  
[Shippou entered Mount Hakurei (underground): +500WP]  
[InuYasha entered Mount Hakurei (underground): +500WP]  
[Sango entered Mount Hakurei (underground): +500WP]**

The notification weren't necessary for the four to realize they had changed area – as around them, the walls texture had changed, and was looking much more organic, while the temperature had rose drastically.  
"Oh kami!" Sango was the first to realize, revulsion on her face "I think we're inside a youkai!"

The two youkai spread their senses at the affirmation, soon realizing that not only she was right, but the flesh walls were rapidly expanding, taking over even the higher levels they'd come from – and that this of course, explained the steady heartbeat echoing throughout the whole mountain.  
"Let's not waste time." Kouga decided, extending a hand toward the tajiya, who understood and jumped on his back, the group rushing toward the nearby end of the tunnel  
"We're... out of it, I think..." Shippou mused, as they observed the nightmarish vision around them, as the floor was covered in a multitude of youkai part of all kind

"I think we've found the rejects of Naraku's latest bout of rearranging." InuYasha concluded as they waded through the body parts  
"Not only that..." Kouga,who was the further forward added "I think he also tried to birth something else..."  
Wondering what could make the sturdy wolf daiyoukai so ill at ease, they made their way to him, before Shippou swiftly turned back, trying not to retch at the horrific vision...  
At the center of the cave, a pile of small bodies was discarded, hundreds of misshaped, yet clearly human remnants – of baby remnants.

"What the fuck is this?" InuYasha asked, the rudeness in his tone not hiding juts how disturbed he too was by the chilly scenery  
"I don't know, but whatever Naraku's purpose here he must be done, because he's not here anymore."  
"Too bad none of the holy servants is there," mused Shippou "Maybe they could have felt something more."

"Let's send a message to alpha, then get the hell out of here." InuYasha suggested "If she feels she need to see this, she'll be able to come thanks to Padfoot shadows as long as one of us is with her." he reminded the kit  
They swiftly did just that – and were soon back in the lower levels of Mount Hakurei, all the tunnels now looking like soft flesh, and acid dripping from the walls – but while they were rushing through the dangerous corridor, they couldn't help but be glad to be out of the creepy cave.

¤.¤.¤

 **[Ryoichi entered Mount Hakurei (temple): +500WP]  
[Kagome entered Mount Hakurei (temple): +500WP]  
[Kanna entered Mount Hakurei (temple): +500WP]**

In terms of ritual, what they were doing was rather simple, as they clearly didn't have time to do anything too elaborated.  
Ryo and Tsukiko's experience as alchemist had forced them to learn to have a fast and steady hand, something that they had taken care to cultivate again in this life, and it was once more proving just as useful in rituals as it had been in alchemy.  
The two godly beings were in the center of two interconnected circles, one orientated by a few pictograms toward purification while the other was dedicated to regeneration, Miroku and Kanna by Tsukiko's side while Kagome was by Ryoichi's.

They couldn't purify the whole area – for one thing the power needed, even with Tsukiko's abilities a a miko, would be dangerous for their bodies, and for another, a purification on that scale wouldn't distinguish between friend and foe, simply eradicating all youkai in the area.  
But they could still eradicate the weaker youkai, that were the main body of the swarm, thus cutting the quantity of youki, all the while boosting all the life around to encourage them to resist the degradation by multiplying temporarily their regeneration – humans would heal faster, and the damaging youki would be purified from them, the plant life would grow fast enough that the withered ones would be swiftly replaced, and animals would be protected too...

Sure enough, the strongest youkai wouldn't be slain – but they also probably wouldn't want to stay in a purified zone any longer after having been imprisoned within the mount, as such all they could do was hope the villagers managed to defend themselves long enough for the swarm to be gone – something that they should manage thanks to the regeneration that would make them much harder to kill as long as they were in the area.

Getting a feel of their holy power was much easier in the holy temple, something that greatly helped Ryoichi as he'd only made use of them once before, and soon both his and Tsukiko's aura were freed,swirling around them in powerful waves of emerald green and golden yellow, mingling together before propagating to the three holy servants who were at the three points of the triangle engraved on the ground, anchoring the ward right in the center of the temple, then blossoming around them, growing until it had encased the whole mount, then the neighboring villages.  
In that moment, the holy servants had a taste of how godly powers felt.

While the wards were settling, they could feel all the souls held within, each villager, all the children assembled by the red kitsune, their pack-mates and friends; but also the hostile youkai around them and even Naraku's irredeemably evil soul thanks to Tsukiko's soul art that was the power she'd used to set the purification.  
From Ryoichi's Life Art, they gained in that brief moment a new comprehension of the cycle of life around them, and an understanding of the nature around them only elemental spirits generally had, feeling all plant life wither and grow, and even the peoples wounds be inflicted and healed away...

[ **Hallows** skill reached rank 60!]  
 **[Magic Art** affinityreached 20/25]  
 **[Nature Art** affinity reached 15/25]

[ **Pacifier** skill reached rank 15!]  
 **[Holy system updated!**  
 **Higurashi Kagome** (miko, LV155) has been added to Light's holy servants]

 **[Hidden challenge LV300 complete! Birth of a Sanctuary...**  
in combining your powers you created wards powerful enough to endure through time  
 **Hidden challenge reward:** +4000XP for all holy beings,  
Tsukiko and Ryoichi unlocks **"Creator of the Sanctuary"** soul-bound title (+50% to all regeneration rates while in the Sanctuary's boundaries),  
Kanna and Kagome unlocks **"High Priestess of the Sanctuary"** soul-bound title (+30% to all regeneration rates while in the Sanctuary's boundaries),  
Miroku gains **"High Priest of the Sanctuary"** soul-bound title (+30% to all regeneration rates while in the Sanctuary's boundaries),  
+1 minor characteristic tome unlocked for all holy beings  
+1 permanent **Recall** **Point** to Sanctuary unlocked for all holy beings]

 **[Level up!** You are now level 192!  
 _+5SP, +2CP, +1PP]_  
 **[Level up!** Ryoichi is now level 201!  
 _+4SP, +2CP, +1PP]_  
 **[Level up!** Kagome is now level 155!  
 _+8SP, +2CP, +1PP]_  
 **[Level up!** Kanna is now level 151!  
 _+8SP, +2CP, +1PP]_  
 **[Level up!** Miroku is now level 154!  
 _+8SP, +2CP, +1PP]_

[Ryoichi is now Five-Tailed!  
 **Five-Tail Perks**  
 **-Might of the Dragon:** when needed ryu can be powerful warriors able to use the force of nature against their opponents, you will gain the characteristic of one of their hanyou (+2 Strength and +1 Agility every half decade) and unlock the mastery of one nature element (unlocked by becoming a dragon's treasure, locks **Mind** **of** **the** **Dragon** )  
 **-Mind of the Dragon:** ryu are reputed for their peaceful ways, trying to reason before resort to fight, you will gain the characteristic of one of their hanyou (+2Wisdom and +1Luck every half decade) and unlock the mastery of your inner element (unlocked by becoming a dragon's treasure, locks **Might** **of** **the** **Dragon** )  
 **\- All is One** (available only if three Mystical skills /=25) **:** you understand the flow of natural energies around you so well that you can even learn to use them (inherited from past life)  
 **\- Sun Child:** unlocks **Light** **Manipulation** as a fast growing skill (inherited from father)

 _available: 1]_

[Kagome, Kanna and Miroku are now Four-Tailed!  
 **Four-Tail Perks**  
 **\- Soul Whisperer:** as a houshi dedicated to Shadow, your soul sense is so finely attuned that you can even catch the thoughts of the dead (available to Miroku and Kanna)  
 **\- Blood Singer:** blood is blood, and as long as you use that medium your can weave any ward, rituals or other written base-abilities without being limited to reiki-based aptitudes : magic, youki or any other energy will be yours to use in that form _(available to Miroku and Kanna)_  
 **\- Shadow Walker:** unlocks Shadow-Blending and Shadow Travel _(available to Kanna)_  
 **\- Nature's Child:** you gain the attributes of a spirit _(unlocked by becoming Lights holy servant or gaining Nature affinity) (available to Miroku and Kagome)_  
 **\- Sun Healer:** you can heal wounds mots couldn't, able to influence to their very HP regeneration rate far beyond what normal holy servant can _(unlocked by becoming Light's holy servant)(available to Kagome)_  
 **\- Light Bringer:** all your reiki, defensive and fighting abilities are enhanced by your Light affinity _(unlocked by becoming Light's holy servant)(available to Kagome)_  
 **\- Pack Symbiosis:** even your soul can learn from your pack mates, and just like your alpha you hold a large soul and reiki, with this perk you will you further follow her example by becoming a Youkai Miko/Houshi (youkai specy to be chosen) _(available to Miroku and Kagome)_

 _note that the yearly powers from your inheritances and miko abilities will become decennial as a youkai_

 _available: 1]_

[You have entered **Yin-Yang Sanctuary**

while inside this area, all people meeting the correct criteria benefit from +25% to all regeneration rate.  
The criteria is: all alignment but Evil]

 **[New grimoire entry: Alignment**

All people can be qualified by a combination of two alignment, and that alignment is found in the Character Window.  
The first alignment is Good, Neutral and Evil and judge the intent of a person.  
The second alignment is Order, Neutral and Chaos, and is characteristic of their life philosophy.]

 **[Barrier erected (regeneration): +1000WP]  
[Barrier erected (purification): +1000WP]**

"I can't believe I'm the only one who didn't get a tail..." Tsukiko commented with an amused smile in the part-stunned part-weary silence that followed the slew of information  
She looked around her – all of them were exhausted, but given the message she'd just had from her beta and the feeling the large Shikon fragment that must have been Naraku's was giving off, this sadly wasn't the time yet to rest. Still, she mused – while she still had work to do, she could let them rest, as they should be safe in the temple...

As if reading her mind, her pack-mates and fiance were slowly getting up "You're not going anywhere without us, _bambina."_  
 _"You_ know me too well." she pouted at the affirmation  
"Ah but he's right alpha. Whatever is next, we're facing it together." Miroku commented with a strained smile  
With that all had managed to stand up, and were now mentally prepping themselves by pushing both weariness and pain to the side for a while longer – and Tsukiko was opening a portal to her beta, black flames answering to her call.

¤.¤.¤

"You look like shit." InuYasha commented in greeting "But whatever you've done, it worked." he added referring to the notifications they'd gained too, updating them on the holy servants work  
"And you've finished off the Shichinin." she answered back with a smile  
"We have." he nodded "But now we're stuck in a damn youkai's innards, and with no idea about Naraku's whereabouts."

"I can feel his Shikon fragment, so I can guide us." Kagome informed "But..." a frown "Whatever he's done inside this place, the feeling of evil and power the jewel has done is now far worse than it was."  
"Worse or not, it's a chance we've got to take."  
"I'll meet you there." Tsukiko announced to the group that seemed ready to head out

"You're going to see that right?" Kanna was the one to realize  
Tsukiko nodded.

While linked to her powers, all, just like her, had felt the massive lump of powerful feeling emanating from deep inside the mountain – the place, more than likely, that InuYasha had messaged them about while they were doing the ritual, as such, none of them were surprised to hear she was going to see it.  
With that, Kouga was heading out with the rest of her pack, Kagome guiding them toward Naraku, while she turned in the opposite direction, Ryoichi and Padfoot by her side – down and under, until they arrived to the cave InuYasha had described, and the pile of discarded bodies...

 **[Tsukiko entered Mount Hakurei (underground): +500WP]  
[Ryoichi entered Mount Hakurei (underground): +500WP]**

The feeling of an incomplete soul and a patchwork of feeling rushed at her, nearly overwhelming her senses in its power.  
"Oh Naraku, you fool." she laughed coldly – and in that moment, her eyes glowing green, she was Shadow rather Tsukiko, Death's sister facing the arrogance of a mortal with all the due contempt  
No complicated ritual was needed for this, Death's powers washing the area, all the discarded pieces of youkai easily purified, while the grotesque pile seemed to condense in a small, glinting black pearl.

A shikigami was animated, and Wrath appeared "Here, would you hold on this for me?"  
The Holy Servant eyed the jewel with an intrigued and amused smirk "Half of a soul, little Shadow?"  
"Mortals are foolish, and it's their own fault if I take advantage of it." she answered, with a smile darkly amused, that would have reminded any present of her link to Death – but there was only Light and Padfoot, neither needing the reminder, nor afraid at seeing the goddess' part of darkness make an appearance  
"I see." the former homunculus nodded, echoing her smile by one just as bloodthirsty "I shall hold on to this then. Have fun!"

Business done, Tsukiko called her black flame to her, opening a portal to InuYasha once more, and the trio left, leaving behind them an empty cave with a small, pure lake of crystalline water in it's middle.

 **[Person of interest neutralized (Naraku's Shinzou): +500WP]**

The trio reappeared in the middle of a confrontation – as her pack and Kouga had finally found Naraku, and even Kagura was nearby.  
Powers still high strung from her latest divine act, it was easy enough for her to read through the wind sprite's feelings, understanding that Kanna must have found a way to make the information about the Life Binding Ritual and Holy Servant Reawakening to her sister, her hopeful and conflicting feelings echoing loud enough that even Miroku and Kanna could feel them...

Of course, Tsukiko understood what Kagura's problem was – as a wind spirit, her need for freedom was strong, and in her mind, freeing herself from Naraku only by tying herself to someone else didn't seem like freedom at all.  
Which was why she had to chose someone she trusted not to use her – something naturally difficult, even more-so in her situation, where all those trying to help her were her apparent enemies, people she didn't know enough about to have a definite opinion.  
In Tsukiko's opinion, there was no real hesitation – there was but one solution Kagura would choose.

¤.¤.¤

While the demoness was still mulling, she turned her attention back toward the main attraction...  
The evil hanyou had been found by the group mere moment before Tsukiko's return, body materializing from the lumps of chair agglutinated around from the living mountain itself – and this time Naraku wasn't hiding a half-formed monstrosity behind his white pelt... the hanyou had finally finished combining his body in a form echoing that of a daiyoukai, a powerful protective barrier around him and all could see that Chaos Game was now marking him as a **Max Level.**

However he'd done it, his time hidden within Mount Hakurei had been far from useless, and now he was freely taunting them "How pitiful that you all managed to come so far, finally catching up to me... But far too late!"  
"Bah! Cut the crap! You got a makeover, what's the big deal!" InuYasha still taunted back  
"Shall we test it then?" Naraku answered back, youki flaring around him

It was as if a signal had been sent, the mountain shuddering and starting to crumble around all of them while the youkai finally broke free of the ruins, rushing toward the nearby countryside - and the Sanctuary's barriers flared in answer, countless of them purified before they could even leave Mount Hakurei, the swarm considerably reduced under Naraku's furious eyes.

 **[Person of interest neutralized (Youkai swarm 60%): 60%*1000WP]**

Still, despite the barriers doing their job, they were still nearing point blank against Naraku, and the man had the most corrosive youki of all, and his miasma was now pervading the area.  
In the pandemonium ensuing Mount Hakurei's collapsing, all had managed to dodge between the smithereens, and when the dust settled, they were now facing the hanyou at the edge of the crater that had replaced the mountain, and that was already starting to be overgrown by vegetation despite the miasma, thanks to the Sanctuary's effect – and at the bottom of the crater, a familiar temple could be seen...

"I'm surprised you managed to survived, but no matter." his smile grew darker "After all, with this body I've achieved my goal."  
The next attack wasn't as wide – but clearly aimed at Kagome. The miko barely managed to dodge, so fast the blade of youki had been, and still gained a bleeding line on her cheek.  
"I see." Miroku commented "You may have grown more powerful, but your aim was to be get rid of your human heart, wasn't it?"

And unlike Musou, all realized, this time the hanyou seemed to have been successful.

In retaliation for the attack, InuYasha had jumped in the fight, not wasting time with Kaze no Kizu but directly jumping to Bakuryuuha, using the man's youki against him.  
Any satisfaction he'd have felt at hitting his target was replaced by rage and frustration as he realized that the other hanyou hadn't even bothered dodging – once more, the bastard was taunting him with a new ability while using him as a testing dummy!  
And while Tessaiga's trusted ougi did indeed make it past the barrier, tearing Naraku's body to pieces – they could all see that his body was swiftly reforming despite the clearly deadly attack...

"Kukuku, let me return your attack at you." the hanyou laughed  
Around the reforming body, the barrier was up once more, and sure enough, the violent attack unleashed by Tessaiga the moment before was sent their way, making all dodge in a hurry.

"What a pretty puppet you've made yourself into." Tsukiko commented as she lightly touched the ground a few meters ahead of the others, not realizing that Shadow was still leaking a bit, eyes glowing green as she eyed the foolish mortal who'd thought to outdo Death by unweaving his soul "Too bad it's now empty..."  
The technique, while just as stupid, was at least more elegant than Voldemort own careless butchering of his own soul, she mused...

"Puppet!" the reforming man laughed at the mocking term "I've become invincible!" he corrected  
"Oh, I know what you've done." the goddess confirmed with a feral smile, KageShin sliding out of her sheath  
"Well,"Shippou commented "Scary Tsuki-chan made an appearance."  
"Naraku's messed with his soul." InuYasha pointed out, remembering the earlier War update"That was stupid of him."  
"You don't seem too annoyed that she's not holding back for once?" Kouga noted, as he'd already realized that the alpha tended to let those having a grudge against the hanyou attack first  
"There's no helping it is there?" Miroku was the one to answer, leaning on his shakujou stay upright "Because he's finally provoked our alpha."

With a step so fast it was nearly invisible, she was suddenly near the hanyou that had been floating a few meters higher, and hadn't expected the ookami to suddenly invade his personal space, the dusky katana slashing through the barrier as if it wasn't there to bit directly through him – and even though he'd managed to put up an armored arm to deflect the weapon, he could feel the blade sapping at his strength

"How naughty, trying to steal my powers! Well, I guess I've overstayed my welcome!"  
Tsukiko didn't bother correcting the hanyou, that had wrongly assumed her blade was absorbing his youki – when what it really was doing was stealing some of the numerous youkai souls coalescing together to make him.  
"Run, little puppet, run." she commented lightly as the barrier around Naraku swirled, and he disappeared, Kagura rushing toward Kanna a second before fleeing too

"What! Since when can the bastard teleport!" Kouga protested loudly at the escapee  
"And more importantly... Why don't you seem more angry?" InuYasha wondered  
Tsukiko laughed once more "Right now, Naraku is irrelevant, and he's done the damage himself!"  
"You called him an empty puppet..." Kagome asked rather than state

"Because that's exactly what he is right now." a smile "So desperate was he to get rid of Onigumo's feeling, and in an idiotic quest of power, he decided to separate his soul in its basic components, getting rid of the feelings, stowing the spirit away somewhere, and leaving his body with but his mind."  
"He got rid of both nigi-mitama and saki-mitama, and removed nigi-mitama and ara-mitama." Miroku realized with widening eyes "It's just like you said, right now his body is no better than a simple detachement, and it's why he can't die! His heart and soul are else where!"  
"In other words, we'll have to get rid of it before killing him?" Sango realized "That's why you weren't angry that he ran."

"No matter how much we damage him, as long as we don't find his heart, he'll only regenerate." Tsukiko nodded before turning toward her youngest pack-mate "So, what did your sister told you?"  
The shadow sprite smiled brightly "She'll do it." she gestured at a familiar feather in her hands "We're to call her with this when we're ready."  
The pack smile at the happiness of the young girl, and they turned toward the direction of the village where they'd left the rest of their traveling companions, more than ready to drop to the ground and rest for a week straight.

¤.¤.¤

 **[Villagers saved (80%): 80%*1000WP]**

 **[Goal failed!** Naraku completed his new body...  
 **Goal update:** find Naraku's Heart]

 **[Life Challenge LV200 Complete! Naraku's playing ground...  
** total WP: 25 900 **  
Reward:** +200XP, +1 alternate Life Perk to be chosen **  
Bonus reward:** 12*1000XP, +4 Enhancement Stone to be chosen, +2 beginner Tail skill book, +1 Tail perk to be chosen]  
 **[Level up!** You are now level 204!  
+12SP, +4CP, +1PP]  
 **[Level up!** Kagome is now level 174!  
+19SP, +6CP, +1PP]  
 **[Level up!** InuYasha is now level 186!  
+14SP, +4CP, +1PP]  
 **[Level up!** Shippou is now level 168!  
+22SP, +8CP, +2PP]  
 **[Level up!** Miroku is now level 174!  
+20SP, +8CP, +2PP]  
 **[Level up!** Sango is now level 165!  
+23SP, +8CP, +2PP]  
 **[Level up! Kanna** is now level 172!  
+21SP, +8CP, +2PP]  
 **[Level up! Ryoichi** is now level 212!  
+11SP, +CP, +1PP]  
 **[Level up! Kouga** is now level 164!  
+14SP, +6CP, +1PP]  
 **[Level up! Shinobu** is now level 149!  
+51SP, +20CP, +5PP]  
 **[Level up! Ginta** is now level 145!  
+67SP, +26CP, +6PP]  
 **[Level up! Hakkaku** is now level 144!  
+70SP, +28CP, +7PP]

[Tsukiko is now Five-Tailed!  
 **Five-Tail Perks**  
 **\- All is One** (available only if three Mystical skills /=25) **:** you understand the flow of natural energies around you so well that you can even learn to use them _(inherited from past life)_  
 **\- Magical Core** (available only if Sky or Mist Flame /= 25) **:** you unlock the attribute of a Witch/Wizard _(inherited from past life)_  
 **\- Moon Child:** when in dire situation, the Moon will protect you, unlocks a powerful shield boosted by your **Light** **Affinity** _(unlocked by being accept as a full-fledged member of the House of Moon family)_  
 **\- Pack Symbiosis:** you learn from your pack mate, **Metamorph** is now just as versatile as **Shape-shifting** but the skill is dropped down by half its points  
 **\- Sanctuary Child:** you carry part of the Sanctuary blessing even outside of it, enhancing all your regeneration rates by your **YinYang** affinity _(unlocked by being there during the Sanctuary creation, or for all children born inside it)_

 _Available: 2]_

[Shippou and Sango are now Four-tailed!  
 **Four-Tail Perks**  
 **\- Pack Symbiosis:** Magic core (available only if Sky or Mist Flame /= 25) **:** you unlock the attribute of a Witch/Wizard _(available for Shippou)_  
 **\- Colors of a Soul :** unlocks a secondary Flame  
\- **Marauder** : you have a unique ability with illusions, unlocks **True** **Illusions** as a fast learning skill _(inherited as a Kitsune)_  
 **\- Sanctuary Child:** you carry part of the Sanctuary blessing even outside of it, enhancing all your regeneration rates by your **YinYang** affinity _(unlocked by being there during the Sanctuary creation, or for all children born inside it)  
_ **\- Pack Symbiosis:** your soul has grown as larger, and your body as started to take on the characteristic of a hanyou, it's now up to you to complete the change _(unlocked at Four Tail with Youkai Touch already unlocked) (available to Sango)_

 _Available: 2]_

[Shinobu, Ginta and Hakkaku are now Three-Tailed!  
 **Three-Tail Perks**  
 **\- Blood Claw:** weaponless attack inflict **Bleeding,** unlocks **Physical Resistance** as a fast learning Fighting Skill  
 **\- Sibling-pack Symbiosis:** you learn from your sibling-pack, unlocks **Elemental** **Manipulation** as a fast learning skill _(with an element to be chosen)_  
 **\- Sanctuary Child:** you carry part of the Sanctuary blessing even outside of it, enhancing all your regeneration rates by your **YinYang** affinity _(unlocked by being there during the Sanctuary creation, or for all children born inside it)_

 _Available: 2]_

 **[Alternate Life Perks**  
 **\- House of Moon Inheritance:** +2Strenght, +1Wisdom every decade  
 **\- House of Leaf Inheritance:** +2Agility, +1Luck every decade  
 **\- House of Fang Inheritance:** +2Agility, +1Charisma every decade  
 **\- House of Long Inheritance:** +2Luck, +1Charisma  
 **\- Spirit Court Inheritance:** +2Intelligence, +1Agility  
 **\- Higurashi Inheritance:** +2Wisdom, +1Intelligence every decade  
 **\- Tajiya Inheritance:** +2Strenght, +1Endurance every decade

 _Available: 1]_

The group trudged slowly toward the village, which evidently had suffered during the the youkai swarm passage, but was still standing, thanks not only to the new Sanctuary's effect but also to Shinobu, Ginta and Hakkaku's protection, the youkai and hanyou not having hesitated one moment to fight to save the humans, even the older orphans doing whatever they could to defend the place...  
As it stood, while the other villages around the former Mount Hakurei had survived too, this one was probably the one who came out the best out of the trial.

¤.¤.¤

The holy servants were ready to drop down – and looked it, Shippou was still badly hurt, and while not as badly hurt, InuYasha, Kouga and Sango had fought for hours on end too. As such when then finally arrived to the village, Shinobu, Ginta and Hakkaku were soon taking charge, gently pushing them through the same hut that had been lent to Shadow's and Tsume's pack barely two days before.

InuYasha and Kouga, were on their feet the next day, help by both their youkai blood and the Sanctuary's regeneration bonus, Sango following by midday, then Shippou by the evening.  
Kanna woke up the second morning, followed a few hours later by Miroku and Kagome.  
By the third day, to the general worry, neither Tsukiko nor Ryoichi were showing any sign of waking up.

"I knew divine powers weren't made for the mortal realms..." Kagome was explaining with a sight, not even realizing that there were villagers nearby in her worry "But I hadn't realized that using their powers would put such a strain on their bodies!"  
"Well, even thought we've seen alpha use her powers several times, it never was on such a scale." Miroku pointed out logically "Without their intervention, the whole area around Mount Hakurei would have been a dead zone..."  
"And instead, it's became a living paradise!" Kanna completed, pointing at the village around them – indeed, the regeneration boost weaved in the Sanctuary meant that now that it wasn't attacked by youki, the place was lush with vegetation even though they were well into November

"Instead of guilt-tripping for nothing, you should realize that you've helped them." InuYasha was the one to point out, not used to have to be the voice of reason in the pack "Without your help they would be even worse off! As it is, you're saying that they're not waking up simply because they're healing, right?"  
"Right." nodded Kagome, that had rushed to Tsukiko's and Ryoichi's bedside as soon as she woke up  
"Then they'll wake up in time." the beta nodded decisively, as if it closed the matter – and in a way it did, they would do nothing but wait

Now that most of the packs were awake, they all went over what had happened with each while they were separated, Shinobu, Ginta and Hakkaku relating their own part in the village's protection, and how clearly everyone had felt the moment the Sanctuary's wards had been erected.  
The three were still reeling from the quest's reward – they had indeed fought, but it was nothing compared to what had been going on inside the mountain in their mind, and as the lowest level, their own leveling was by far the most impressive.

Still – gaining levels didn't suddenly made them experts, and so the pack members awake were soon helping them get used to their abilities and new gained powers while waiting for their leaders to wake up.

Around them, the villagers were going back to their normal life too, if slightly changed by the new situation they found themselves in as inhabitants of the Sanctuary – as even without Chaos' Interface, they could all realize that something had changed for the better in the area.  
Messengers were soon traveling between the villages, and without the packs realizing it, word was going around that it were two youkai that had taken the powers of a god to help miko and houshi alike save them from the youkai swarm.  
Where the Haven had been a timid first step in the right direction – the Sanctuary was becoming the major second step, as the villagers would soon realize that the lingering protection didn't exclude all youkai, nor necessarily include all humans... And if the wards were accepting the youkai, the humans didn't see the need to shun them, meaning that the zone would soon become well known as a place for youkai and humans to interact freely, while the temple in the center of the crater was soon visited by all.

* * *

¤.¤.¤

* * *

If Sesshoumaru had been a lesser youkai, his frustration would have been apparent – after the rude awakening to the value of life that Hell had put him through, the shiro inu had continued to patrol his territories, Jaken and Rin in tow, and if he was still training to perfect the now gibbous Meidou his sword produced, he wasn't quite as intense about it as he'd been before.  
But apparently, that must not be quite clear to the youkai around, as the slender silhouette of a faceless boy was taunting him with knowledge about his sword's imperfection.

Not letting his irritation at the useless blabber appear, he followed the envoy toward a mountainous zone – Jaken not once stopping to whisper about traps and danger.  
He mused about strangling the irritating youkai – of course this was a trap, which was precisely why he was going! After all if someone was daring enough to taunt a Cardinal Lord like this, it had to be either the annoyance Naraku, or another similar impudent that had to be put in his proper place.

Avoiding the impromptu attack coming at him in greeting was but a second thought – as was the replying Meidou Zangetsuha aimed just bellow the feet of his new opponent.  
"So if you've come this far, Sesshoumaru, I suppose you want to know the secret of the Tenseiga."  
A Tengu, Sesshoumaru realized as the silver haired man finally steeped out of the cliff's shadow – but not any Tengu, this was a bird from hell, which explained the rather uncharacteristic silver hair

"What would you know about it?"  
"Well, it's not the first time I've fought against it. Even if the last time I saw it, had a different shape..."  
"I doubt you're telling this from the goodness of your heart."  
"Of course not," the youkai laughed before sending a next attack against him  
The young Lord's eyes narrowed, as he dodged out of the way of the far smaller, but perfectly round Meidou Zangetsuha coming his way.

"You see, back in the days I mt your father..." a smirk "Back then he left me for dead, taking half of my face and stealing my attack. And such attack doesn't need two users!"  
The affirmation made Sesshoumaru hid a frown – the Meidou Znagetsuha coming from a bird from hell wasn't too surprising, but his affirmation was strange. Tenseiga couldn't steal an enemy's attack – Tessaiga on the other hand...  
While this wasn't an ability InuYasha relied on, preferring to rely on his own strength, the sword had that ability.

"Ah, I see you understand..." the hell bird was taunting "Fearing the power of my attack, your father discarded it, thus making your Tenseiga!"  
This is where he was supposed to grow angry, he realized at the man's growing frustration at his lack of reaction – but the daiyoukai was content to just let him rant.

Oh, true enough it was annoying to realize the Great Dog had setup yet another test for him from beyond the grave - but it didn't really matter, because he'd already grown beyond what his father expected for him, the inu having to way of knowing the impact his young time-traveling daughter, and annoying brother would each have on him in their own way...  
So the Inu no Taishou had set him up to perfect an attack only to loose it to Tessaiga? No matter, he'd already learned that his own claws were good enough to kill, while his sword's innate ability, the one he knew he wouldn't lost, as Tsukiko had recognized it easily enough, was the one he couldn't replicate by his own mean.

Finally fed up of the blabbering of his opponent, and having seen enough, the Lord of West finally unleashed his own Meidou Zangetsuha, for the second time in the fight...  
"Impossible!" the youkai – who'd introduced himself as Shinshiki somewhere during his monologue – protested "Tenseiga is but a reject of Tessaiga, it could never perfect this attack!"  
Sesshoumaru watched the man fall into hell impassively.

While indeed, Tenseiga's limitation had prevented him until now to complete that attack, the other youkai had freely used his own perfected version of it in front of him multiple times, he wasn't the more dangerous warrior among the four Cardinal Lords despite his young age for nothing – learning from your enemy was as evident as breathing for him...  
Still, if InuYasha was supposed to take Tenseiga's cutting edge from him, he should check on the brat – he wouldn't give him the attack for free after all.  
With that, he turned his back on the battlefield, and the dead youkai, following his nose and family pack link toward his daughter and her beta.

¤.¤.¤

When the massive discharge of power came a few hours later, Sesshoumaru frowned with worry – in that moment, he'd felt his daughter's life force drop suddenly, as prone to do when gravely injured or exhausted far beyond anything reasonable.  
"Jaken, take Ah-Hun to the Nikko zone and wait for me by Totosai's place." he instructed, before turning toward Rin "Come."  
The girl obeyed without a question, and she smiled in bright wonder as the daiyoukai slipped into his true from before dropping to the ground in a massive cloud of dirt and nudging her on his neck – easily understanding what he wanted, Rin gripped at the nearby fur, so thick she was neatly cocooned in it, and the inu was rushing toward the north with one long jump.

Sesshoumaru slowed only a day and a half later, to feed Rin, and examine the outer limit of the new Sanctuary.  
Now that he was nearer, he could feel that there were no hostile presence around – nor allowed by the barrier – and that his daughter had entered a healing trance. As such, young miko in tow, he completely bypassed the human village to go directly to the crater, and the temple still in it's midst.  
Despite the power of the Sanctuary wards, mere days had gone by, and as such he could still feel the remnants of Naraku's prolonged stay in the area, and guess that whatever had happened must have been once more linked to the damn hanyou.

He let Rin spent the night in the temple, and by the morning of the third day, he was calmly walking in the human village where he could feel not only his daughter's pack, but also the wolves sibling-pack and what could only be her fiance and his own traveling companions if his nose was to be believed – a fiance that appeared to be in an even worse state...

"So, otouto, would you mind telling this Sesshoumaru what happened to put his musume in such a state?" he asked sedately to the beta, not even acknowledging the agitation his presence had caused to the villagers  
"Feh, figured you'd be dropping by." InuYasha grumbled, before waving him toward the hut where both canine were still sleeping "Come, I'll tell you what happened."  
With that the hanyou was soon going through their last few days adventures, eventually arriving to the ritual the two intended had done to save the region.

Sesshoumaru didn't comment, instead sending Rin to play with Shippou and Kanna, that were mingling with the numerous orphans that were traveling with the red kitsune, while he settled to wait for his daughter's awakening.  
InuYasha eyed him a moment, before going back to taking care of his pack, and the fox's one, the hanyou never seeing the glint of approval in his brother's eyes as he took over the duties of his alpha while she was recovering.

A week had gone by the time Tsukiko started to stir, followed a few hours later by Ryoichi...  
While the two were still weak, they were good enough to travel, they both assured their friends. And if most looked dubious at the proclamation, they knew that too much time couldn't be wasted – because the Sanctuary may have become a peaceful zone, rumors of violence committed by the youkai released by Naraku were already making their way to them.  
And while they were to ready to chase the hanyou once more – or rather his heart – there also was Ryoichi's troupe to think about.

"We'll escort you back to Edo, and make a stop by the Nikko area." Tsukiko announced, not letting the man protest "You're in no more state than I am to give a good fight to any powerful youkai." she reminded him  
The kitsune reluctantly agreed, while Kouga announced that since he didn't have any easy way to track the bastard or his heart, he'd go back to patrol the East while keeping an ear open for anything that could lead to him.

As such, nine day after the battle at Mount Hakurei, and three days after the new moon, Shadow's pack was on the road again, going with the well wishing of the villagers, and travel ling with both Ryoichi's band of misfits and Sesshoumaru and his ward.

While they were a big enough group that most passing bandits and random youkai thought twice before attacking them, it was clear that the whole country was ripe with strife and as such, InuYasha was regularly heading out with Kagome, Miroku and Sango to help people around – and if the hanyou was grumbling about it, they all knew was more habit than anything else, as even the cold Lord of the West was caught disposing of corrupted youkai attacking human settlement, or dropping the left-over of his hunt for any nearby orphans – and they never lacked those.

In the week it took them to travel to the Nikko youkai zone, Ryoichi's group of misfits had grown, gaining half a dozen more children.  
Even Sesshoumaru, that hadn't known about the man's mission, was coming to realize that it was no wonder their race was in difficulty in the future – because in this era, where daiyoukai were far less common than normal youkai, their orphans were found aplenty in the country – and a child alone, daiyoukai or not, rarely reached his second growing spur.

Jaken and Ah-Hun were waiting for their Lord as instructed, and Sesshoumaru headed sedately toward Totosai, eyeing with amusement Ryoichi drag Shinobu toward the old youkai – and a moment later, losing a pair of fangs without having expected it. Somehow he wasn't too surprised the kitsune hadn't warned his little beta-to-be – mischievousness was all foxes blood after all, and given whom his father was, it was only to be expected that he'd have it in spades.

¤.¤.¤

While waiting for Shinobu's weapon to be done, and since nothing but very training was available to both divinities, Tsukiko finally asked about her pack's choices in their new Tails Perks, Alternate Life ones, and normal ones...  
"We were waiting for you." Kagome candidly answered for the pack "We always chose our Tails Perk together!"

While she wanted to scold them, as they'd lost two weeks of training with potential new skills – the alpha really couldn't, as all the pack around her was getting comfortable for the usual long discussion that ensued when decision upon which Tail Perk to chose – beside, it's not as if they had slacked during that time...  
As such, the afternoon was spent talking back and forth about the Tail Perks available to each.

Ryoichi, no matter how reluctant he was about it, realized that the perks unlocked by becoming a dragon's treasure were too good to pass up – no matter how annoyed he still was at the man. As such, just like InuYasha, he settled on **Might** **of** **the** **Dragon,** followed by **Child of the Sanctuary,** proclaiming that with how weak the damn thing had left him, he was determined to take any advantage out of it.  
Tsukiko was rather surprised that every one seemed to agree in a way with him – as all intended to take the perk, even InuYasha who only had one Tail to choose.  
While she wasn't particularly against it, as a bonus in regeneration rates was always something useful, she found it rather amusing how they were all agreeing that gaining something good from Naraku's efforts at spreading evil was too good an opportunity to pass.

As such, following the trend, she did take the **Child** **of** **the** **Sanctuary** perk as her bonus Tail Perk, then finally gave in to the impulse to take the **Pack** **Symbiosis** evolving her **Metamorph** skill into the **Shape-Shifter** , making one very happy Shippou – and after musing about the Alternate Life Perk far more than the others, given that it'd follow her to the next life, eventually settled on the **House of Long Inheritance** , reasoning that while far from useless, those were usually the two characteristics she spent the less Characteristic Points on. With that perk, even with using CP on them the two characteristics wouldn't lag too badly behind...

Kagome choosing **Sun** **Healer** with second available perk had surprised no one, nor Shippou settling on **Marauder** in order to learn youjutsu, that were the basis of a kitsune's most powerful illusions.  
Miroku, while he was surprised to note that he too had now the option to become a youkai holy servant, he easily enough settled on **Soul** **Whisperer** , stating that he had more than enough offensive abilities for a priest, and that all was left was for him to hone them – and as such he had no problem taking a perk more in tune with his primary vocation.  
Kanna opted for the **Shadow** **Walker** perk Miroku already had unlocked a few weeks earlier, reasoning that it would compliment her own nature as a shadow sprite well, and finally Sango stunned them all when she announced her choice...

"I'm becoming a hanyou."  
"You... what? How?" Kagome was the first to find her voice – even if not as loquacious as usually  
"Because I chose **Youkai** **Touch** the last time, and being Four Tail apparently means our soul has grown past the human one..." the tajiya started to explain "Which is probably why Miroku now can become a Yokai Houshi." she added more for herself than their benefit, even if most nodded in understanding "I unlocked a new **Pack** **Symbiosis** perk. I can't become a Youkai, at least not yet, probably because I'm not a holy servant..." which was rather paradoxical when you though about it but seemed about right, given as they naturally had larger soul than normal humans, since they more often than not were old souls "So I'm becoming a hanyou."

"You realize that this isn't something that can be undone right?" InuYasha couldn't help but check  
"I do." she nodded "I realize that life isn't easy for hanyou, hated by both humans and youkai alike, and even if we know things we'll change eventually, that change isn't there just yet." she looked in his eyes "I may not have your ears, I still hear what villagers say about you before they learn to know you, and I realize some of them never change their attitude..."

She was now staring at her hands or rather – the calluses, and the lightning playing around her palms "But when going over the options available to me I realized that I'm a fighter not because I like to fight like you or alpha, nor because I have to like Miroku, Kanna and Kagome." she smiled "I fight because I want to protect my pack, my family, my village, the people we meet on the road... I've already faced people's scorn multiple time, woman have no business fighting after all." she reminded them wryly of the current philosophy among humans

This time her gaze turned toward Miroku "And I realized that right now I'm the only normal human among us. I don't mind being human, but if I don't change myself... I'll be the first to leave. And I'm selfish. I don't want to grow old before all of you, I want to continue to live by your side."  
She may have been talking about all the pack – they all realized that she was also talking about Miroku himself first.

Tsukiko, who was the only one not surprised at the choice, given that the young woman had used the ambient noise to ask her about it earlier, smiled as all realized what exactly Sango was saying – how boldly she was proclaiming to Tsukiko herself that she better wait for them in the future once their current adventure over, but also to the rest of them that the end of Naraku better not be the end of their pack.  
The tajiya was giving up her humanity for the pack, and that was a gift they wouldn't be given often in their life.

One by one, all started to smile encouragingly too – and finally, Chaos' powers gathered around the tajiya, enfolding her in a wave of powers, and soon, youki was born...

Kagome was the first to react, loudly squealing "So cute!", the squealing miko launching herself at the new hanyou, enthusiastically petting the small twitching ears  
"Quieter Kagome, please!" Sango moaned, not expecting the impressive hearing that came with her new appearance  
The now sole human girl of the pack whispered her apologies, and the rest of the time they spent waiting for Totosai to finish Shinobu's weapon, they spent helping the new hanyou get used to her new body and senses.

It hadn't taken much thinking for Sango once settled on the path of the hanyou to choose the youkai race best suited to her – as such, the tajiya was now an ookami hanyou, their bonuses in Strength and Agility ideal for her fighting style.

And finally, Totosai had appeared, one the third day like always.  
Given that neko were more individualistic than canine, they didn't have an agreed upon rite to enter adulthood – so the hanyou was rather surprised when as soon as he'd gently put away the pair of straight tanto in the back sheathe the old blacksmith had given him, Ryoichi's youki had swirled, and the kitsune was carefully giving him the canine pack-mark.

"Well, you're an adult now." the neko's eyes widened at the new notification on Chaos Interface, but didn't hesitate in accepting, glad now that InuYasha had taken the time to walk him through canine customs

[ **Light Pack LV1** created!  
 **\- pack bonus:** +1 to all Regeneration Rates  
 **\- insignia bonus:** +1 Fire damage to all attack (cost 50YP or 50RP)  
 **\- alpha bonus:** +3 Agility, +50% teaching bonus  
 **\- beta bonus:** +1 Endurance, +25% teaching bonus  
 **-XP to LV2:** 50/1250]


	20. Omake

So I've started chapter XIX, but somehow (maybe because it's too late) I made a glaring mistake: Tsukiko was talking with Kanna about saving Kagura, and stated that she would do so on All Hallow Eve.  
It's only once I'd written about the ritual, and the following passage that I realized that there was no way Kagura could be saved on All Hallow Eve since time wise Mount Hakurei Arc occurred in November!  
Still, I liked this bit of casual interaction so I'm putting it up for anyone interested at a peak into the god's point of view of the happenings in the story...

* * *

 _(here Kagura has just been healed and has fallen unconscious)_

Given that the excitement had kept everyone up, Tsukiko smile, and informed them of the main purpose of All Hallows Eve – to pray for guidance from the gods, as this was the night when the veil between Mortal and Immortal Realm was the thinnest.

It was difficult not to believe in the gods when you traveled with one of them everyday, and so after a late but hearty meal, there were soon all finding a quiet place to meditate and pray...

"I thought there would be a fight when your pack started to pray."  
Ryoichi and Tsukiko, who'd merely closed their eyes while leaning against each other to call to the Immortal Realms opened their eyes again – surprised to see not one but several deities.

"Then everybody remembered that we're gods, and ubiquity isn't that hard once you've got the hang on it." Chaos continued his earlier remark "Everyone wants to meet me tonight, I'm so popular!" he preened  
"He's really not used to be thanked that much by people." Life commented "Chaos brings joy in the life of people, but also strife, and people seldomly realize when he's helping them..."  
"Blab all my secrets to our youngest, be my guest!" the golden-eyed god pouted

"You're creating quite a bit of a stir once more," Death explained while Life and Chaos devolved into bickering "More minor deities have become active that in the last few centuries. You're going beyond all our expectation." a nod toward Ryoichi "You especially, after all you ascended faster than expected, and some were worrying about weather you'd actually be fit for Life's powers."  
"I told Order that I knew what I was doing, but did she believe me? No, she tried to make Knowledge talk me out of choosing you as my Champion!" an impish smile "Of course Knowledge knew better!"

"You've even changed Fate for the youkai, something she's rather happy about."  
"She's not... Cross at having been contradicted?" Tsukiko wondered, even if the goddess had looked rather easy-going

"On the contrary," a new voice interrupted, as a young silver-eyed and bubblegum pink-haired girl appeared out of thin air "I've been trying to prevent the youkai's extinctions for millennia, but all my attempts failed!" a smile ""And here Life' new little brother, with barely budding powers, is going ahead and not only attempting it, but managing it! I've asked Luck if she hadn't blessed you without us noticing but she denied..."

Ryoichi smiled, and let themselves get dragged into the conversation, enjoying the impromptu meeting with their elders – until with the night coming to and end, they were forced to leave, with a multitude of well-wishes and an injunction from Chaos to keep on being as interesting and chaotic as they were.

 **[Event (LV:scaled) Complete! All Hallow Eves]**


	21. Game On 30 XIX The Last Shard

**Hi!** So we are entering the last part of the story :-)

* * *

 **Chapter XIX. The Last Shard**

Sesshoumaru had split with them as they left Nikko's area, but not before commenting to his daughter "Your beta has progressed. But if he wants to grow more, right now, he'll need training. Take him to Yourei Taisei."  
The ookami hime had been stunned at what was as good as any praise coming from her father, and InuYasha himself, while he didn't know whom the daiyoukai was talking about, had been rather surprised at the change of teaching method – which was explained by Tsukiko a moment later "Chichi-ue is saying that you're ready to follow the training taken by the generals of the House of Moon . You're not a child he has to help grow up anymore."  
Her fingers ghosted lightly the pack-mate mark under her uncle's eyes "He's saying, and I do agree, that should you chose to you're more than ready to ask and be given the mark of an alpha, to go and make your own pack."

And the only one surprised at this affirmation was the inu himself – after all, the rest of the pack, just like Sesshoumaru, had seen their beta rise to the task and take care of them while their alpha was unconscious, then weakened from her exploits.  
He'd grown and changed a lot, since he'd been awakened from the Goshinboku, even more than all of them, gaining for the first time in his life recognition among youkai society despite his status as a hanyou, and having finally been given his rightful place among the House of Moon – not also that, but among humans too he'd changed, now conscious of the difference between them, able to take their need into account when the pack was traveling and more accepting of his own emotions and feeling as a part of him rather than a weakness to be hidden and erased...

InuYasha was now at peace with himself, knowing and understanding that as a hanyou he was part of both human and youkai world, and not shunning any part of him any more.

And proving once more his maturity, the light of excitement in his eyes was soon contained, as reason took over once more "Training is good and all... But can we really afford to with the mad beasts unleashed by Naraku going around killing everything in sight?"  
Tsukiko glanced at her beta approvingly, then announced "Padfoot can take you there and back while we hunt if you want." a teasing smile "You'll just have to learn fast enough to catch up with us before we deal with Naraku's latest shenanigans if you don't want to miss on the action!" then, turning toward Kanna "And we will take care of your sister before the end of the year, I promise you."

"How will you proceed?" Ryoichi wondered "When you linked Chrome to Mokuro's life, the two had nearly identical Mist Flames, and I doubt Kagura has those..."  
"I've adapted the ritual once more." Tsukiko explained "I mean, after the months of research I did on it in Hagaren, it would be a shame not to have learn to adapt it! It'll use their youki..."  
"And as siblings, it will be similar enough." the assassin understood – while never having been a wizard, he'd seen and learned enough about rituals by now to understand a bit about what she was planning "Are you planning to use a holy day?"

"I'm aiming for Yule." she nodded with a smile "All Hallow Eve would have been great but since it has already gone by..." then toward the holy servants "And I'll walk all of your through the ritual's basis and variation, so that we'll all be ready if needed ."  
The three nodded, not needing to be told that the need in that case was should Naraku try to get rid of Kagura before Yule – and as she lectured them, they realized that the ritual was possible indeed at another date, it was clearly the day when it would work the best, not that they had doubted it, knowing that Tsukiko wouldn't be leaving Kagura suffer under Naraku's power needlessly.

And so, with Tsukiko's reassurance that the pack was well enough to protect themselves on the way to Edo, a region where few would dare attack them, InuYasha left them, following Padfoot as the Grimm slipped in and out of the shadows – soon arriving to a small human village.  
"You're sure this is it?"

A low growl "Yes, I do realize there's the feeling of a powerful youki it just doesn't look like the living place of a powerful warrior!"  
With a huff Padfoot bumped the hanyou down the small bridge they were on – and indeed, the feeling of youki was coming from a small hut under the bridge. A hut from which a call for help was coming...

 **[Secondary Quest! Teachings of a spirit...**  
 **Goal:** Find Yourei Tasei's missing youki  
 **Reward:** +50XP, +1 enhancement stone to be chosen]

Not needing any more invitation, InuYasha rushed in – and realized that he'd entered some kind of ward, as the hut's interior was a large colorful field rather surprising for the season, with a simple traditional temple in the middle of it.  
Not letting surprise get the best of him, he headed for the temple soon finding the source of the calls from an old looking youkai – and more strangely, and very flat and parched youkai...

"What happened, old man?"  
"I was attacked by behind," the unreliable looking youkai answered "And my innards were stolen."  
The hanyou hid a frown – the old man being attacked like this on his own territory seemed fishy at best...  
"Why weren't you killed then?" he opted to ask  
"Pah! Whoever attacked me clearly didn't expect that my youki would be that potent! They probably fled to assimilate it."

"If that's the case, they'll probably come back for you." the hanyou warned – this was after all the centipede and snake youkai usual modus operandi,something he'd had more than ample time to realize when Sango talked about her work as a tajiya and from his own experience  
InuYasha saw, but ignored the surprise in the weakened youkai's eyes – he was used to be underestimated by youkai after all, the daiyoukai looking down on him for his attitude far less collected than theirs and his lessened instincts, while the lesser youkai were just idiotic enough to focus on his human heritage and think it made him weaker than them.

Before Yourei Tasei could answer anything, the feeling of youki that until now had been rather tame suddenly flaring all around them.  
"Well," InuYasha quipped "seems that your aggressor is having heat burns from your youki, tracking him shouldn't be too difficult like this!" then more serious "If I take you with me will you be alright?"  
"I will be. I didn't think a hanyou would be that confident in tracking youki?"

"Bah, that's the first thing alpha beat into me!" said hanyou laughed "Hanyou usually don't know anything more than the basis about youki because nobody bothers to teach us!" with that, he grabbed the youkai, who promptly wrapped himself around his shoulders, and they headed outside  
Except – all had changed in the few moments he'd spent under the bridge, the peaceful human village now run over by youkai.  
By just as peaceful youkai seemingly going about their everyday life.  
That made InuYasha stop in his tracks – that and the fact that the only youki permeating the area clearly was that stolen from Yourei Tasei "Say old man, you have any ability with illusions?"

"Oh oh, how did you guess?"  
"Well I don't know, maybe the fact that your youki is making the whole fucking village look like youkai!" the peeved hanyou retorted, before simply heading into the streets like he would have done in any normal village. A few moment later, he tilted his head "Huh, there are some youkai too..." a shrug – the pair of real youkai seemed to be going about their business too "I guess they're taking advantage of the illusion to trade a bit eh."  
"Why would you think that?"

"Well, they aren't hostile, aren't they? I mean, their youki is non-aggressive and they aren't doing anything bad. And most humans village are still afraid of youkai, but that illusion right now is letting them blend in, so if I was a passing by youkai merchant I would take advantage of it..."  
"You seem to know much about those merchants." the youkai wondered  
"Bah, merchants are perhaps the more honest in their feeling!" the hanyou laughed "For them a trade is a trade, be it with a hanyou, youkai or human!" then he slowed down, coming to a stop in front of a house "Well, here is where your youki is coming from, old man."

With that he barged in the house – nose wrinkling at the powerful and sweet scent incense permeating the area. Sure enough, this youkai wasn't a human, and in a swift and practiced motion, he went for Tessaiga, only to be stopped by Yourei Tasei.  
"Don't attack nilly-willy boy! You've done well until now, so keep on using this head of yours! This youkai isn't one you can just swing your sword while hopping for the best!"  
"For once, I don't just swing my sword without thinking, I do know how to listen to Tessaiga!" the inu hanyou answered back, bristling – and even his sword vexed, it seemed, as wind was swirling around it in protestation "And fore a second... That's why you're here, right! To tell me how to improve!"

The youkai hummed his agreement, mentally noting how in tune weapon and warrior seemed to be, and explained "You've got to take your youki reading skills further. Every youkai has one or several youketsu depending on his power, and aiming at those whirlpool of power will have a much more devastating effect than attacking blindly."  
"Any advice on how to see those things?"  
"That is up to you, boy."  
"Fine by me!"

¤.¤.¤

InuYasha spent the next few minutes both focusing on his sensing sense and dodging between the orochi's attack – and even if he did let his claws talk a few time, it was more to keep the heat off that anything else, as it was clear that the youkai had a health regeneration impressively high, all its wound closing in mere seconds.  
If he wanted to deal with him, he'd have to end the fight in one strike, something Yourei Tasei seemed to indicate would be achieved only by striking at the youkai's youketsu.

Finally, his efforts started to pay, as he finally started to get the same evasive feeling as he'd had the first times he'd used his Kaze no Kizu – before he'd learned to read the wind to find where to strike.  
And indeed, little by little, he realized that he could see the youki's flow better.  
And just like the old spirit had said, this flow was swirling around the youkai, forming several whirlpools around it...

Except – all of these didn't have the same smell, he soon realized, some of these were simply decoys, rather that really important gathering of the youkai's power.  
One of those really stood out, and prepared himself to attack before stopping in his tracks "You know old man, I've played along until then but... the youketsu I really ought to be cutting through is yours right, seeing as we're caught in your illusion?" a shrug "I mean, an illusion is fine to train someone, I understand that much, but illusionists really get hurts when their illusion are broken, don't they?"

 **[Hidden bonus goal complete! Looking underneath the underneath  
** _You've seen through Yourei Tasei's illusions_  
 **Hidden bonus goal reward:** +400XP, Political System update]

 **[Political System** updated!  
You are now Favored of Yourei Tasei

while this has no direct effect, people will now know that you are viewed favorably by Yourei Tasei, one of the Elder of the Spirit Council.]

Around them, the world blurred, and InuYasha realized that hadn't even left the hidden temple, Padfoot waiting from them to finish while napping in a corner...  
As for Yourei Tasei, the man had gained back volume, as just like the hanyou had said, this had been but an elaborated illusion he'd stepped into when entering the hut under the bridge.  
"It had been a long time indeed since someone saw through my illusions before completing their training. You seem to know much about those for such a straight-forward warrior?"

"One of our pack youngest is a kitsune." the inu answered as if it explained it all – which it did in a certain way "And it's not the first time someone use incense to fool my sense." a smirk "beside, even if I didn't attack, I did manage to see those youketsu you told me about, so it's good enough for me."  
"Ah but if you'd taken the strike, you'd also given my youki potency to your Tessaiga." at the blank look the hanyou was giving him he elaborated "It is one of your sword's abilities, hasn't it happened already?"

"Nope." quickly denied InuYasha "The only power Tessaiga has ever needed was her own, and mine, and that's how I like it." a smile "If I need more power to fight an enemy, then it's up to me to gain it."  
"I see." the spirit smiled, and powers swirled around him coalescing in a small shining pearl brimming with power "Then we'll do it the other way around. Because we are not fighting, it will regenerate soon enough for me... But if you try to absorb it, you will be the one put to test, since my youki is so potent. This won't be power freely gained, since you'll have to earn it by surviving it, but if you survive my youki, no youki but that of the oldest daiyoukai will be dangerous to you. Take this, and you'll have completed my training."

InuYasha took the jewel – and the moment he touched it, the small pearl became a brazier of burning youki engulfing the hanyou, making Padfoot whine at the bloodcurdling scream of pain, so unusual from the beta that could take Sesshoumaru's wrath head on without so much as a wince...  
Yet the Grimm didn't interfere – because he could feel the hanyou's resolve, and sure enough, when the youki finally calmed down, letting a battered hanyou reappear, the result was clear enough that Chaos' notifications were nearly superfluous...

 **[Hidden challenge LV200 complete! The price of power...**  
 _You've taken the damage of Yourei Tasei on yourself rather than let the illusionist suffer through his illusion's breaking_  
 **Hidden challenge reward:** +400XP, **Yourei** **Tasei** **Youki** (+10 to Spiritual Resistance, Killing Intent, Meditation and an Elemental Affinity to be chosen )perk unlocked for InuYasha

 **[Secondary Quest!Complete Teachings of a spirit...**  
 **Reward:** +50XP, +1 enhancement stone to be chosen]

 **[Level up!** InuYasha is now level 188!  
 _+1SP]_

More than the level up and quest completion – what was really impressive was the very clear effect Yourei Tasei's youki had on the hanyou, as something InuYasha had knew would be coming ever since he hit his fourth tail finally happened...  
The hanyou had manifested a tail, his youki now too potent for his body to hold.

The old spirit had left the hanyou rest for the nigh, as he was spent from his trial, then observed him leave through the shadows, eager to meet up with his pack, with a fond smile – Sesshoumaru had been right to sent the brat to him.  
After all – the reason why he let himself cut by the youkai he trained rather than make them take the brunt of it was that he knew most of them wouldn't survive it...  
But the brat hadn't only inherited his stubbornness from his father, but his resilience too it seemed – as it had been the Great General who'd last seen through his illusions. With that, the spirit closed the pocket dimension that held his home and headed toward the House of Moon shiro, as this was a test he knew the elder brat of Touga would want to hear about, even if he'd never admit it.

And maybe he'd drop by the Spirit Council afterward, to let them see his memory of that test too. It was just as the hanyou had said after all, they youkai tended to look down on hanyou for their ignorance, but it was their responsibility to educate them, one they more often than not didn't take. Maybe seeing what a properly educated hanyou could achieve would wake up a few of them...

As for InuYasha, unaware of the reflections he'd triggered in the old mist sprite, he was soon back to Edo, thanks to Padfoot ability to shadow-walk, just as the rest of his pack arrived there too.  
Kagome's reaction to his new tail was as loud and girly as expected, and soon all were splitting up...

InuYasha was following Kagome to the future, and Mahoutokoro, while Tsukiko, Ryoichi and Shinobu were helping the orphans cross over.  
Given the number of children and youkai beasts the red kitsune had managed to gather during his latest travel, this was an operation that took most of the day, but thankfully once in their own time, a call to the youkai district was that was needed for people to come and help, most of the great Houses having opened their home for the children to help them adapt to the new era.

Tsukiko hadn't given any choice to her father – not that the Lord had protested – and the two kuro inu brothers Ryoichi had saved a few month earlier had been immediately adopted into the House of Moon, but somehow even Ryoichi could guess that from the half dozen or so orphans not yet adopted that were staying in the Moon shiro, several other would never leave.  
Shippou hadn't been wrong in saying that it was the shiro inu's weak point after all...

Of course, Shippou had been there too, to smother Tsukiko in affection and bicker with his son – but also taking in a few children in the House of Leaf, and that night was spent with all curling together in the family den of the Moon.  
As both of their children were slumbering peacefully, both father glanced at each other in the dark "I remembered how bad they were after the Sanctuary... Yet somehow I hadn't realized how worn and weak it had left them." the kitsune whispered, fondly ruffling his son's hair, yet eyes darkening in sorrow "You feel it too, right?"

"Decades, maybe even centuries of life sacrificed to save humans that would have died a few years later anyway..." Sesshoumaru nodded, the words harsh but true  
"Yet they didn't even hesitate." a frown "I long for the day that adventure is over, and they're finally home... Yet I dread it..."  
The Western Lord nodded his agreement, tail curling around his daughter tighter – and both fathers finally surrendered to sleep too, leaving Shinobu the last awake for a long time.

The two divine being took one more day to rest before going back to the past, Ryoichi and Shinobu ready to hit the road again in their search while Tsukiko and her pack were heading out to look for Naraku's heart.  
But before that, Tsukiko had called Wrath, and make his hand over the black jewel she left with him for safe-keeping.  
"Can you feel this?" Kanna and Miroku both nodded  
"This is a soul but its... Evil, and incomplete," Miroku realized as he was talking "This is Naraku's Shinzou?"  
"It is. Memorize this, because this what we're searching for."

¤.¤.¤

With that, the half soul was send back to hell with Wrath – and they were on their way.  
It took but a few days of travel in the agitated countryside to realize that Naraku's heart seemed to be intent on finding something, as the new offspring had been going around killing holy servants and releasing whatever youkai or demon they'd sealed in their temples.  
But while the mass releasing of those evil beings was the larger problem for people, it was evident to Shadow's pack that it wasn't the latest's detachment main goal – as all those holy servants had been methodically beheaded.

From the few survivors of the attacks, they learned that all these attack were the work of two people – an albinos baby, and a young man looking the part of a noble born.  
But while each day they were catching up with the rampaging duo, they still had to deal with all the unsealed youkai – until finally, by the end of December's first week, the scent of blood permeating the nearby temple was still fresh enough, proof that the battle had just happened.

Rushing ahead, they barged into the temple, where an old houshi laid dead between his two apprentices, body fresh enough that his heart hadn't even stopped yet.  
It was as if in a trance that Kagome kneeled by the holy servant's side, gently pushing the two young men lamenting to the side, reiki gentle but powerful around her...  
"She's... healing him?" InuYasha realized after a few seconds of confused silence "How is it possible, his head was cut from his body! Humans don't survive this kind of thing!"  
"Because the man was cut down before his time, and his body hadn't stopped yet... With her new gained powers as a miko for Light, she can perform feat of healing others would never be able to." Tsukiko explained as she watched intently, eyes gleaming green, less surprised but just as interested as her beta in the happening

And after a moment – the young miko wobbled by the dead man's side, and the houshi took a long, shuddering breath, before opening his eyes...

"So I was saved, uh?" he realized, not that surprised – the why made clear the next moment when he turned toward their alpha, nodding his head respectfully "Thank you for not taking me."  
"Like I said," Tsukiko answered "It wasn't your time. Could you tell us what happened here?"  
What had happened was one more ruthless attack from Naraku's two detachment – but this time they had a precise enough description of the events that they realized better what was happening...

"Looking for the border between life and death?" Miroku mumbled "Why would they be looking for that?"  
"This I don't know." the old priest shrugged, while managing to sitting down, still a bit weak after his ordeal "But I can tell you that between the man and the baby, the baby was the more dangerous one, I'd never felt such an evil from any youkai before..."  
"But you smithed it!" one of the two disciple interrupted, finally coming down from their panic and stupefaction  
"I didn't." the old man contradicted "I did hurt it though..."

After ensuring that Kagome was well enough, and the houshi would be alright, they left once more in pursuit – and Naraku must have caught on their presence, as swarms of low-level youkai were sent at them...  
Or rather, Shippou soon realized as they were cutting their way through – what seemed to be swarm.

"There's far less than we thought!" the young kitsune informed his pack, explaining why their fight had been going so strangely, new enemies always appearing "There's illusions mixed in that's why there doesn't seem to be any end to this!"  
"I guess we know Naraku's latest offspring's talent now."

With that the swarm was dispatched quickly, illusion broken by the Mist users, and finally, they barged in a cave where young man was waiting for them with two babies hidden away a few meters behind...  
"Well, you caught up pretty fast, eh!" the pale yokai with purple eyes commented, before sighting "But I really don't like fighting!" a shrug "But I guess orders are orders," a nod toward "I'm Byakuya, and of course I already know who you are."

 **[Goal complete!** +25XP  
 **goal update:** deal with Naraku's detachment **(5/9)** : 5*25XP]

"Well, he must be Naraku's politest offspring." Tsukiko commented, amused  
"And the on-going quest changed." Miroku added "Do you think that means we've seen the last of them?"  
"That or whatever he's coming up with next will be different enough to warrant it's own quest, just like the Shichini-tai did." the alpha answered

Meanwhile, dozen of paper crane had appeared around the illusionist, floating in the air, and soon peppering InuYasha, who was on the front line.  
Of course, the origami were simple nuisances, and in the same attack he cut through both them, and Byakuya -only for the youkai's body to dissolve into wisps of mist, leave behind a simple white flower.  
"Wow, I hadn't realized his whole body was the illusion!" Shippou commented, eyes wide – as a kitsune, and a budding genius with youjutsu and Mist Flame, he could appreciate their enemy's talent

¤.¤.¤

"He used his illusion to distract us, but he only took one baby with him." Sango pointed out, walking toward the end of the cave, where youki was steel felt  
And indeed, where there had been two babies, there was only one now, youki swirling around him, and changing his form under their very eyes.  
The naked boy that emerged from the bed sheet looked around him, and noticing them, realized "I've been discarded, eh?"  
The affirmation brought the pack to a halt – but there was no denying it, seeing as Byakuya had fled without him.  
"I guess it was to be expected, between the precious Heart and the unplanned half..." he eyed them curiously "So, how will you kill me then?"

"Bah, why would we kill you?" InuYasha retorted "Your own creator abandoned you, I don't see why you'd want to help him by going up against us, and even if you did, you wouldn't hold a chance."  
"Why wouldn't I?" the youkai asked with a disconcertingly innocent curiosity "I may have been discarded, I'm strong."  
"That you are." Tsukiko nodded – that was after all easy to feel – but what her soul sense was telling not only her, but also Kanna and Miroku was that right now, the youkai was nothing but a frighteningly intelligent and powerful child, calm appearance hiding a brain desperately trying to work out a way to survive, and understandably bitter against Naraku

And so she sat by the child, tails neatly arranging themselves around her, and continued "But you would loose." a smile, and she advised him "Don't be like Naraku, don't underestimate us. This is because he's been doing so continuously that we're still alive while he's lost his own heart to his greed."  
"Oh!" the child's eyes shone with interest "So you realize what my father himself doesn't eh?"

"That with heart as tainted as him, it's but a question of time before that baby try to go against him?" an amused smile "That all of his children will go against him one day or the other, because fear isn't a very efficient way to keep people on your side?"  
Seeing that there were to be no hostilities in the cave for now, the pack was settling around, each keeping part of their attention on the ongoing conversation but now rather sure that there would be no fight.

"How is it that someone reigning over death is always saving people life?" her beta couldn't but grumble as they went about making camp for the night – because it was pretty evident for him, just like for the rest of the pack that the latest incarnation of Naraku wasn't dying today  
"Saving people?" the naked child wondered "How could you do that?" then eyeing Kanna "Then again I guess you've already done it, even if Naraku foolishly didn't care about it. But why do it?"

"Well, you want to live, don't you?"  
"Of course. But that doesn't tell me what it gives you?"  
Knowing that right now, he quite simply couldn't understand a selfless act, she answered "Well, your powers would be linked to mine." she announced "Which wouldn't compel you to obey me directly, but would mean that should you try to act in a way quite clearly opposite of my own principle, you would probably loose your powers and die."

The child eyed Kanna, that was squabbling with Shippou as they studied their youkai runes – whatever principle let the girl he knew to have been a broken and emotionless puppet from Naraku's own memory, it couldn't be too bad...  
"What kind of principle?"  
"Not to go against the cycle of life and death. Sent people that should be dead back to hell. Help the people when you can. Save them if you want." Kanna was the one to answer while keep Shippou's hands off her writing sheet at the same time "In other words, be a decent youkai, rather and a mindless evil beast like Naraku and you should be alright." with that she turned back to Shippou

Tsukiko smiled, amused and surprised at the rather bold intervention for the still rather shy girl "I couldn't have summed it up better."  
"I really don't see what it gives you."  
"A powerful new ward for the House of Moon, seeing as the brat is ridiculously proud of our family." InuYasha was the one to cut in this time "But really the truth of the matter is that she's way too kind. So much it could have been dangerous for her..." a smirk "But you can afford to be kind when you're strong enough to protect yourself!"  
"I don't know how to be kind." the youkai pointed out "I've only memories of evil doing and self-serving attitude from Naraku."

"You'll learn." Shippou put in his own opinion "A few months ago I didn't know how to fight, barely how to survive, and I was a coward and a scaredy-cat."  
"You're the one that killed Jakotsu." Naraku's child remembered from his creator  
"Nah that was Sango." a smile "But we did it together." he explained with a smile

And with one last look at the pack around him, the child's decision was made "I'll be naming myself Hakudoushi." he declared "And I want to live. Please take care of me."  
Not needing anymore prompting, Tsukiko unleashed her **Past** **Life** aura, seeing as they weren't in a holy area it would serve to boost her divine powers just like it had when saving Kanna, and the green wave of power snaked around the newly named Hakudoushi, severing his life source from Naraku and giving him his own soul, just like she had done with Kanna.

This time it was easier, as contrarily to Kanna, the latest child of Naraku was a new-born who hadn't yet suffered at his creator's hand like the shadow sprite had, and thus no heavy damage had to be undone...

 **[Holy System** updated! **  
Hakudoushi** _(unidentified daiyoukai, LV191 )_ has been added to Holy Servants]

 **[Goal update (6/9):** +25XP  
 **Hidden bonus goal complete!The unwanted one...**  
 _You've offered Hakudoushi a chance at life_  
 **Hidden bonus goal reward:** +1000XP, Hakudoushi unlocks **Chaos** ' **Game** light version]

 **[Level up!** You are now level 205!  
 _+1SP]_  
 **[Level up!** Hakudoushi is now level 192!  
 _+1SP]_

"Naraku doesn't stand a chance he doesn't even realize it, does he?" Hakudoushi commented a few hours later, after the pack had started him on Chaos Game' basis "I mean you're directly helped by the gods!"  
"Being chosen by the gods doesn't guaranty victory." Tsukiko corrected "It's his own arrogance that will be his downfall."

Hakudoushi rapidly proved far different from his elder sister, more extrovert, and very sure of himself, but he also had a sort of innocence that had been shattered by Naraku in the girl, making him observe everything around him with wide eyes, and evolve very quickly – and while for now, just like he'd warned, he was still very individualistic and tended to think ahead on ways to save himself, they knew he'd soon learn to rely on the pack, and more of the social skills his memories from Naraku sorely lacked. He was after all, willing and eager to learn.  
There was one thing they learned from him that night – the reason for Byakuya and the baby's search for the border between Realms...

"It's where the last shard is, apparently." he explained "Before the old houshi cut us apart, the baby and I saw a place covered in mist... Seeing as humans, even holy ones, didn't hold a strong enough connection, I think his next move will be to turn to youkai."  
"There weren't any shards when we went to Inu no Taishou's grave..." Kagome pointed out  
"I don't know how it ended up there," their newer addition shrugged "but given that Mimisenri himself gave that information I'm rather inclined to believe it."

"Mimisenri?"  
"A swamp spirit renowned to have the best hearing of the isles." Tsukiko explained "He's not affiliated to any House, so he shares his knowledge freely as long as a good enough offer, or threat is made."  
"I can guess which way Naraku went for that one." Sango commented dryly  
"Indeed." Hakudoushi confirmed just as dryly – confirming to the pack that he would adapt just well, if he was already able to joke with their tajiya

"Still, it gives us an opportunity, doesn't it?" Miroku was the one to point out "We know where the shard is, and Naraku is searching how to go there..." a smile "But we have better options than him for this particular travel. So why not make use of this?"  
Tsukiko smiled - while she had evidently refrained to point it out herself, now that Miroku had reminded them of it, she wasn't going to deny the fact that she could access Hell rather easily – and that as such the border between the Realms was even easier for her to access.

"You're talking about a trap, right?" InuYasha realized first  
"Well, with our share, Naraku's one, and that last shard, we'll have the opportunity to complete and purify the Shikon no Tama and to get rid of Naraku all in one go if we plan things correctly..." the houshi pointed out "We should at least try to take advantage of this opportunity!"  
"He's right." Sango nodded

"But I doubt he'll risk his heart in Hell." Hakudoushi contradicted  
"Then we'll have to take him out at the same time. We're more than enough to split into several teams." InuYasha answered "I'm sure the annoying wolf would love to be a part of the action too!"  
Still – while they indeed did message Kouga about the latest news, and brainstormed late into the night, they knew that a good plan wouldn't be made in a day.

As such, the next day, they were once more on the road, tracking Byakuya and the skill unnamed baby holding Naraku's heart, hoping to at least mitigate some of the violence they were bound to provoke.  
But Naraku must have been more unsettled than they realized – as things had calmed down, no more priests were being killed, but no particular unrest among youkai was noticed either..

¤.¤.¤

Then, one morning, the pack woke up with a niggling feeling none could put their finger on – none but Tsukiko, who explained, rather intrigued "This is a call of gathering from the youki mark tying us to the House of Moon." she explains "Something only chichi-ue himself can enact. We're expected to make our way to the House of Moon Shiro as fast as possible."  
"But why?"  
"We'll know once there." the alpha shrugged "Generally such a call is used for House-wide event, like the Inheritance Ceremony when I was presented as Heir for my fiftieth birthday, or when a conflict with other youkai has gone bad enough that a feud is declared..."

"And where is the shiro?"  
"Well the easiest way to find it is to follow the youki pull, just like when we went to InuKimi's shiro but without even needing to search for it first."  
It didn't take long to travel, to the Western Lord main shiro – and all were surprised to realize it was strangely familiar.  
"It looks exactly like when we spent the night at your place in Tokyo?" Kagome wondered  
"That's because it's the same place." the alpha explained "When the House district was created, rather than create town-house when all the old Houses had centuries or millennia old domains, a team of wizards was hired to anchor portals between the district and each domain's entrance, while a secondary entrance of the domain was tied to it's original emplacement."

Tsukiko let her youki flare as her pack approached the shiro, and they could all feel all eyes settle on them as they approached, the guards immediately granting them entrance but the surprise caused by their motley crew impossible to miss despite all the youkai presents rigorous training – after all hearing that your Lord had a time-traveling daughter that was the alpha of a pack whose beta was his half-brother, and comprised of humans and youkai alike was one thing, seeing it was another.

And now that they were seeing, they were becoming fervent believers – because if they'd feared the recent acceptance of Sesshoumaru for his hanyou brother and his daughter's strange pack meant that he was growing soft, they were now clearly witnessing that it wasn't the case.  
After all, the Lord of the West accepted only the best in his personal shiro, and as such all of them could feel the power emanating from the pack easily, a power than eclipsed quite a few, if not most of them...

As for the Lord of the West, he'd felt just like the rest of them his daughter arrival, and as such arrived in the courtyard at the same time as they did.  
"Chichi-ue."  
"Musume." an eyebrow was raised "You stole another of Naraku's spawn?"  
"He produce children without a thought, and abandon them in the same manner." she answered with a frown of distaste – the way Naraku had just left Hakudoushi behind to save his heart still left an ashen taste in her mouth, she was after all a canine

He father's facial expression mimicked her own, but he didn't comment, instead stating "Come, we have business to conduct before the Gathering."  
They followed – and the Lord noted that all seemed to know where they were heading as they strode toward the family aisle. Sure enough, as they settled in the lounge room, Shippou was eyeing the walls around him, commenting "I can't believe this place hasn't change in five hundred years!"

"Well, the shiro has been standing in one form or another for several thousands years." Tsukiko informed him "And in this particular form for five centuries already by this time." then turning her attention back to her father "Why did you call us, chichi-ue?"  
"Another part of my father's came to light." he explained "As such my brother's presence was needed." he completed, nodding toward InuYasha, who still seemed a bit surprised to see his brother acting civil toward him after centuries of strife and disdain  
"Something important enough to warrant a gathering?" Tsukiko wondered, intrigued  
"It is linked." Sesshoumaru half-confirmed, before turning toward InuYasha "Yourei Tasei tells me you've completed your training."

A nod.

"You impressed him, which is no easy feat." his elder brother commented approvingly – surprising the hanyou once more – before getting up and stepping toward a nearby shogi door "Come, I'll test you myself."  
Not backing down from the challenge, InuYasha stepped up too, Tsukiko and the rest of the pack following them into a heavily warded training room, the alpha herding them toward a zone where tatami were of a different color "This is the observation area." she explained before turning toward the two brothers that were facing each other, visibly brimming with excitement  
"What is going on?" Kagome whispered, as the dojo's silence didn't make her want to speak too loudly

 **[Event LV 200! The measure of a hero...**  
 **Goal:** Survive Sesshoumaru's evaluation  
 **Reward:** +100XP , political system update upon Event completion]

InuYasha dismissed the notification, focusing his attention on his brother – and the next second, the fight started, both rushing toward the other at the same time, the hanyou dodging the Meidou Zangetsuha coming his way just as the daiyoukai stepped out Tessaiga's Bakuryuuha, the two attacking and dodging without discontinuing for several minutes.  
Soon, InuYasha was coming to the realization that in order to land a hit, he'd have to use Yourei Tasei's training, as Sesshoumaru wasn't holding back, pushing him back little by little – and the hanyou knew very well how dangerous the Tensaiga's perfected attack was.

As such, he called his Storm Flames to him – his elder brother's raised eyebrow the only sign of curiosity from the daiyoukai, who'd never seen him use them.  
Following Tessaiga's lead, the Kaze no Kizu, dangerously enhanced by the red flames, was cut directly at Sesshoumaru's youketsu – just as the Lord of the West cut open a Meidou Zangetsuha.  
Getting attracted by the open mouth to Hell, the hanyou's mind worked fast – and once more trusting in his instincts, and his sword's prompting, he focused once more, this time cutting at his own youketsu.

The surge of power that followed pushed him out of the dangerous attack just as it closed, and both brothers were once more facing each other, now heavily hurt.  
And to all but Tsukiko's surprise, the daiyoukai smiled lightly, and put his sword back to her sheath, before stepping toward his brother, youki twirling in a non-threatening way, and two claws biting into his face.  
"You are now an alpha of the West. Come, the House is waiting for us."

"Shouldn't we heal them before?" Kagome wondered in a whisper as her pack followed Sesshoumaru as instructed, Tsukiko gently dragging along a stunned and exhausted InuYasha  
"The House must witness their state first." Tsukiko explained  
"Really?" Miroku asked, surprised "I don't remember you telling us anything about this when explaining the Coming of Age rites..."  
"Because that's not what's going on." the ookami hime explained with a mischievous smile

"I knew it, she's purpose not explaining anything!" Sango groaned, before turning to Shippou "I blame your kitsune-ess infecting her on this one!"  
"Kitsune-ess isn't even a word! And Alpha only hides her kitsune tendencies better than I do, she already had them before we met!" the young fox answered back heatedly – before all calmed down, as they were now leaving the family aisle

¤.¤.¤

And this time, when they came out in the courtyard, it was full of youkai of all types, all waiting for them.  
The whispers started as soon as those that had seen them arrived realized that InuYasha now bore the mark of an alpha – but when the state of both brothers was realized, the mutters dropped into expectant silent.

"Today a new alpha has been welcome into the House of Moon," Sesshoumaru started, his voice easily carrying in the silent courtyard "His blade had been tested, and has proven it's worth." the whispers started back as the attention was called to Tessaiga's, quite a few recognizing the famous blade "Who will stand for him?"  
Tsukiko was ready to step forward – but stopped herself when she realized that someone else had already moved. Her eyes widened as she realized the one who'd done so, and she clearly wasn't the only one surprised as the whispers only gained in intensity as the tall, scarred warrior with long dark hair tied up on his head and glinting silver eyes "I will."

Shadow's pack for their part, if they didn't recognize the kuro inu like the rest of the House did, could all feel the power coming from him, a power not too surprising given that a rapid Observation announced that this was a nine-tails daiyoukai – a Level Max.  
"Name yourself."  
"I am GinKiba, son of KenTsume, of the House of Blade, General of the House of Moon."  
"Who else?"

This time Tsukiko stepped forward "I and my pack will."  
"Name yourself."  
"I am Tsukiko, daughter of Sesshoumaru, of the House of Moon, Heiress and Huntress of the House of Moon."  
The call to stand was made two more times, Rouyakan and Jinenji both coming forward too, even if the youkai and hanyou clearly weren't used to so much attention, then it wasn't answered to anymore, and Sesshoumaru went on "Will any one challenge them?"

While a few antsy young and less young seemed to wonder about it – the fighting force put forward between their pack and the old general was more than enough to dissuade even the more reckless among the crowd.

"InuYasha, son of Toga, of the House of Moon, are you willing to fight for this House when enemies of our family arise?"  
"I am." the hanyou nodded, guessing that some sort of ceremony was ongoing -a and really, the answer to this question was rather evident to him  
"Will you answer my call, when enemies of the West threaten our territories?"  
"I will."  
"Will you shed blood by my side, when I call my packs to arm?"  
"I will."  
"Then let it be known that today a new General has been added to the ranks of the House of Moon."

 **[Event LV 200 Complete! The measure of a hero...**  
 **Reward:** +100XP, political system update  
 **Hidden bonus goal complete! The weight of a sword...**  
 _You've proved your worth to Sesshoumaru_  
 **Hidden bonus goal reward:** +1000XP , Tessaiga is upgraded]

 **[Political System** updated!  
 **InuYasha** (hanyou, LV188) is now a General of the House of Moon: +50XP]

[ **"Alpha"** title added  
+1 Strength, +1 Agility, +2 Charisma  
 **"General of the House of Moon"** title added  
+1 Strength, +1 Agility, +2 Intelligence]

 **[Tessaiga** **enhancement** update:  
 **Inu no Taishou's Protection** _(attuned, LV150)_ **:** +10 000HP  
 **Tessaiga's Chosen Wielder** _(attuned, LV150)_ **:** +10 000YP  
 **Black Pearl Sliver** _(empowered, LV150)_ **:** +200 Blood Drain  
 **Sanctuary Jewel** _(empowered, LV150)_ **:** +40 damage against all of Evil alignment  
 _(empty space)_  
the current **Stone** has been added to Tessaiga:  
 **Hell Rift** _(empowered, LV150)_ **:** +40 shadow damage, unlocks the **Meidou** **Zangetsuha** ability]

 **[Level up!** InuYasha is now level 189!  
 _+1SP]_

It was clear that this was the announcement that Tsukiko had been waiting for, as she threw her head back, a joyous howl echoing, soon followed by the kuro inu lower voice, and Sango knew instinctively how to follow their example even thought this wasn't something she'd ever done before – then Shippou joined in a higher yip, and one by one all the canine of the House of Moon joined, the two shiro inu joining in last.

This, Kagome knew, was something she'd never forget, as the festive yet clearly inhuman chorus echoed – and finally, it died down, and the crowd was dispersing – and she realized that while she was hypnotized by the multiple voices singing, foods and drinks had been brought out, and the youkai were already starting to feast.  
As for them – they were headed once more in the family wing, followed by an awed Rouyakan and Jinenji, and the famous GinKiba, who clearly already knew those quarters.  
Here too, foods and drinks had been brought – and soon they were all sitting down – before Kagome and Tsukiko shared a glance of understanding – and both girls went to the still bleeding brothers, reiki humming.

"Well," GinKiba commented "that wasn't something I'd thought to see in my life."  
"A youkai with reiki, a miko healing a youkai or a hanyou being made general?" Tsukiko asked lightly while healing her father  
"Why all of them!" the kuro inu laughed heartily  
"I didn't expect you to stand for my beta either, so I guess we can say this was a day full of surprises."  
"Seeing those wounds on Sesshoumaru-chan was an ample proof of valor in my mind." the general answered, negligently avoiding the poisonous whip coming his way "And well, I stood up for Touga and his elder, I couldn't do less for his second son, right?"

The affirmation made Shadow's pack take a second look at the man – given his power, they'd known he had to be old, but hearing him talk about the famous Inu no Taishou nomination as a general so negligently was a clear reminder.  
As Kagome was finishing healing the hanyou, Tsukiko took something out of her **Inventory** – a long braided leather band – and pointed at the kuro inu "Here, tie his hair like this."  
Sesshoumaru eyed the band, lips twitching in amusement as he realized that his own scent lingered on it. Clearly he'd given this to his daughter precisely for this occasion, how entertaining...  
"So, why the new hair style?" Kagome wondered as she obeyed?"  
"It's the distinctive mark of the Generals of the West." GinKiba explained "The tie is imbued with the Lord's own youki, making it impossible to mistake."  
"Yours feels different..." Sango remarked  
"It's from the Lord who named me." the daiyoukai confrimed the unvoiced question "InuKimi-sama own father's."

"Does this mean InuYasha is going to leave?" Hakudoushi wondered, as the one who knew the less about pack dynamics  
"It means that he could leave to gather his own pack," Tsukiko corrected "but it's not unusual for a new alpha to stay with his pack as a beta for as long as he wishes. Becoming alpha doesn't sever the ties with your pack, it's just an evolution."

"That, and the fact that the chibi hime is a federating alpha." GinKiba added – gaining a glare from Tsukiko for the new nickname, and uncomprehending looks from her pack "That means she's an alpha's alpha, an alpha capable of gathering other alphas around her. " he explained "That's a rather unusual talent, as most of the time, alpha leave their pack because they don't react well to being ordered around by another alpha... Whereas an alpha in a federating alpha won't necessarily want to leave."

"The general is correct." Sesshoumaru confirmed "The last federating alpha in the House of Moon was our own father, he added toward InuYasha "The only other know currently is an old Lord of a minor House in the South, but there are rumors that another has been born in the North..."

That – made a surprising amount of sense, the pack realized. After Tsukiko had indeed told them that without the affective bounds being broken, alpha still tended to leave their pack to make their own because it was often difficult for strong personalities and instincts like those of alphas to cohabit – yet they had never had any problem working with Kouga and his pack, and the wolf-tribe daiyoukai had indeed always had a tendency to defer to Tsukiko.

The evening was spent catching up, InuYasha finally coming to terms with what had happened, and Sesshoumaru rather interested in their rough outline of a plan to finish Naraku and purify the jewel in one go.  
The pack also learned that GinKiba had been a general of the House of Moon for nearly two thousand years, making him the oldest general among the four Cardinal Lord's men, and one of the oldest youkai in Japan – he was also the one to train Sesshoumaru when he was younger, which explained his relaxed attitude around the otherwise fearsome Lord, and had trained Toga too when he became general, the two daiyoukai having gone along really well thanks to their very similar personality.

¤.¤.¤

Still – one more important topic had to be addressed that night, as InuYasha suddenly realized once coming down from the multiple shocks of the evening...  
"The Meidou Zangetsuha... Why did you give it to me?"  
The affirmation cut through the ambient noise, and Tsukiko, who was the only one bar the two brothers to have realized what had happened in the dojo raised an interested ear.

"It was originally part of Tessaiga." Sesshoumaru answered "I don't need the powers of your sword."  
"So Tenseiga doesn't cut anymore?" Shippou wondered  
"Indeed."  
"Oh! That's why Tsuki-chan surprised when Totosai reforged it!" Kagome remembered "Still, your grand-father has a very strange way to teach cooperation to his sons from beyond the grave..." the miko added thoughtfully to her friend – not realizing the startled look the two brothers were sharing at the affirmation  
"Yet it is fitting that the kinder brother has the power to sent people to hell, while the assassin held on the power to take people back from hell..." Kanna completed with a serene smile  
"Who are you calling kind?" InuYasha grumbled – while Sesshoumaru seemed quite content with his appellation of assassin  
"I wonder if Totosai will make a coming of age weapon now, of if the Inu no Taishou has left more tests for his elder?" Sango wondered, remembering about the blacksmith's affirmation that he'd forge a blade for the Lord only when he'd had met the conditions set by his father – not realizing that the inu's eyes were suddenly gleaming, as plans for a trip to the Nikko area were made

They spent the night in the family den, the humans – and former human – not even bothering to opt out of the main bedroom this time, then hit the road back the next day, seeing as they still had a hunt to finish – but the feast had still been going on when they left the shiro, and Tsukiko informed them, amused that the festivities could last up to a week, or even, one famous time, a month.

"You know," Tsukiko commented a bit later "If oji-san trains enough, I won't even have to open the way for you..."  
"True, Sesshoumaru's Meidou Zangetsuha opened a path straight to hell, didn't it?" Miroku remembered "Then with enough training, aiming for the in-between should be possible, shouldn't it?"

"So... Does it mean we're in for a few more training session from hell?" Shippou wondered with a whimper and shudders  
"Looks like it." Sango nodded, patting the whitening kit's back – making Hakudoushi wonder about what could be so bad in training sessions  
"Don't mind Shippou," InuYasha reassured him "he's over-dramatic. Well... mostly anyway..." he mused, not reassuring Hakudoushi at all

After a few more days heading toward the South - and incidentally, the same direction Ryoichi was traveling toward, Tsukiko couldn't help but laugh "If he crosses the path of Naraku's underling by pure chance once more, I'll really start to wonder weather Luck hasn't given him the Potter's luck..."  
"And what's the Potter Luck?"  
"A family inheritance I could never prove I possessed in my first life..." Tsukiko explained "I was the last of my name, but I did a bit more digging in my family History, I realize that just like me all of them seemed to had a wild luck, falling into the worst situations and coming out all the better out of it..."  
"That sounds a lot like the Chinese proverb..." Miroku mused  
"May you live in interesting times." his alpha completed with a nod "Exactly! I even wondered if it wasn't a real curse, but could never find any proof..." she pouted

Naraku's Heart had eventually realized that they were following him – except this time, he'd simply sent Kagura to them with a message.  
"In the mountains of Flame country, there is a gate to the next world, is what that Akago told me to pass on."  
"That fucker. Already trying to make use of use just like Naraku eh?"  
"I wouldn't know." the wind spirit commented neutrally, acutely aware, just like them of the saimyoushou buzzing around, and eyes lingering on Hakudoushi with some surprise, and hope

"No matter," Tsukiko smiled "I have a message of my own." her fangs were gleaming menacingly, InuYasha noted, amused to realize once more how more wild she became when she let go of but a fraction of control over herself "Tell your Akago to hide himself in the deeper cave, as we're coming for him, tell Naraku that after tha shard we're coming for his own half of the jewel..." the smile wasn't as menacing as she concluded "Know that by the winter equinox, this will all be over."  
It was clear that the wind sprite had understood loud an clear the message – understood that the last affirmation was not so much a threat toward her creator as a promise to herself...  
With a nod, she was gone.

"No more playing around,eh?" Miroku was the first to comment  
"It's like you said, we have a golden opportunity, and I've no intention of wasting it."  
"With the way you've taunted them, I don't doubt they will react." InuYasha mused  
"And they've just given us the mean to catch them in our own trap thanks to their habit of trying to use us." Sango completed "Because they've just confirmed to us that they haven't managed yet to open the way to the other world."

 **[Hidden Life Quest unlocked! Biting the biter...**  
 **Goal:** set up the trap  
 **Reward:** +800XP per goal, **Chaos** **Game** update upon completion]

"Well," InuYasha nodded decisively "Let's do this then."  
With that, the pack was heading South once more, traveling faster than they ever had as right now they knew that Naraku was keeping his own activities down, waiting for their arrival to the southern island.

"The Land of Fire is the Southern Cardinal Lord domain, and while it is the smallest of the four territories, it's also the more dangerous." Tsukiko was explaining as Kagome was asking her about the place they were headed to "Because the North may have a dangerous winter, the geothermal activity in the South is on-going all year long, not to speak about the volcanic activity."  
"It's also the area with the highest youkai to human ratio." Miroku added "But paradoxically, while the region has quite a number of holy servants, it's also the place where youkai and humans living along side each other the best."  
"That's because between the natural dangers, and the numerous attack of sea demons, they really couldn't care less about each other, their main interest being survival." Sango took over "We tajiya rarely have any request from work from down there, but when do have some, they are dangerous jobs, as demons and youkai are completely different matters."

"And won't the Lord see from a bad eye our incursion on his territory?" Kagome wondered - after all while they'd been in the Eastern territory, the daiyoukai was allied with Sesshoumaru and in their travel north they hadn't crossed int the Northern territory  
"The old tanuki won't give a damn." InuYasha was the one to answer, surprising the pack  
"You've already traveled the area?" Kagome wondered

"Kikyou was called to help against a few eyesores." the hanyou explained succinctly "I helped."  
The pack didn't insist - while their beta was handling himself far better now than a few months ago, they preferred to let him do so at his own pace. No doubt he'd mull on his memories for a few days before confiding in them once he was ready. As such they let him change the topic "The Lady of the South is a tanuki, one the wasn't born a daiyoukai." he explained

That - was rather impressive all the pack realized - like kitsune, tanuki were tricksters, but as youkai-born they rarely had the need, or abilities to grow into daiyoukai. And not only that, but their beta was clearly saying that the reign sovereign of the region was a female, something more comun among youkai than humans, but still rather unusual...  
"The South is dangerous." InuYasha pointed out "And Tsunade-baa-san is a crafty old lady, she's way too strong and manages to survive any situation."

"And why won't she cares about our presence?"  
"The South philosophy is along the lines of as long as you don't cause any problems, you can do whatever you damn want, it's every man for himself, and the weak will die."  
"Wow. The region sounds pretty rough." the young miko commented - yet still a bit intrigued by the Cardinal Lady

"Tsunade-sama is also the Cardinal Lord that has been reigning for the longest," Tsukiko added her own information "And she has... a pretty unique temper." an amused smile "She particularly enjoys clashing with chichi-ue."  
"She particularly enjoys clashing with anyone she fins interesting." InuYasha grumbled, making the pack easy=ily guess at his own relationship with the daiyoukai "ANnoying old hag..."

A message was also sent to both Kouga and Ryoichi, informing them of the latest development – and the wolf had already started to head South too while Ryoichi had confirmed that he'd try not to end up once more in the middle of their conflict with the evil hanyou, as he had already picked up a few orphans.

* * *

¤.¤.¤

* * *

After splitting up from Tsukiko and Ryoichi's packs, Kouga and his own pack had headed back toward the East, intent just like the others to make a touch-down to the caves where laid their family den.  
It was soon clear that the beasts youkai having survived the two divines beings Sanctuary were just as predicted above the usual beasts youkai, as such their travel wasn't as fast as expected, as they took the time to help around on their way – never realizing that before meeting Tsukiko and her pack, they'd never thought to do so...

They arrived by the north of the Eastern territory, their travel taking them not too far from the den of the northern youkai wolf-tribe dens when the scent of blood wafted toward them – blood from other wolf-tribe members.  
Rushing toward the sounds of battle, they arrived just in time to save an old wolf beast from some corrupted youkai.  
"Well, I thought I was done for." the old youkai commented – surprising them, as very few of the wolf beasts were capable of human speech rather than the canine dialect "But our alpha and his daughter are the one holding back the strongest of these thing, please help!"

"Go ahead." Ginta nodded at Kouga's glance "We'll take care of things here."  
With a nod, the alpha was rushing toward the place were the strongest concentration of youki was felt, Goraishi glinting as he took down the large youkai in own swing under the alpha and his daughter's stunned eyes.  
"Well," the elder wolf-tribe wolf commented as they headed back toward the pacified caves, where Ginta and Hakkaku had made swift work too of the remaining enemies "I'd heard the rumors, Kouga-kun, but I now see they were true. Congratulation on becoming the Eastern Ouji."

"Thanks, old man." the young daiyoukai smiled – before getting an arm full of a young wolf-tribe member, as the alpha's daughter had finally come down from her surprise at seeing him  
"Kouga! You came! Are you here to fulfill your promise?"  
"Ayame," the old alpha sighed "I've already told you that an exchange of words between pups is no betrothal!" then, eyeing the younger alpha "Beside, given his new position as Heir of the House of Fang and daiyoukai, I doubt he'll be mating himself to a wolf-tribe daughter, even the daughter of an alpha."  
"I won't mate for prestige or power." Kouga contradicted

Ginta and Hakkaku nodded, not surprised.  
Traveling with Tsukiko's pack had made all of them yearn from more than they had before in a mating – because the humans were quite more honest with their feelings than youkai, and the bonds between the tajiya and the houshi, or the miko and the hanyou, even if all those involved had trouble seeing what was quite clear to the youkai, were only making them stronger rather than weaker.  
Strength was something to look for in a mating, it was something that would come naturally from a good match.

"But," the wolf forged on, turning toward the expectant girl he remembered saving a few decades earlier "I won't mate a stranger either." he smiled to take the bite out of the affirmation "You are a child still Ayame, and we have only met once, decades ago."  
The wolf started to open her mouth to protest, then stopped herself, and instead asked "Then you are saying that if we knew more about each other..."  
"There is no telling." Kouga shrugged "Maybe we'll realize we're meant to be, maybe you'll realize you can't stand me on a daily basis, maybe I'll find you too annoying..." a smile "I've seen what a good mating is, and I won't settle for anything else!"

"Even if Tsukiko-san and Ryoichi-san are a bit..." Ginta started, hesitating on the correct word  
"Unconventional?" Hakkaku suggested  
"Intense?" Kouga added with an amused smile  
On of the wolf left out a queen noise "Scary?" Ginta interpreted "Yeah that too..."  
Ayame eyed the exchange with mirth, but a new resolve was born in her eyes.

After making sure that the pack would be alright, Kouga and his own pack were about to hit the road again when two young wolf-tribe child met them by the cave's entrance "Take us with you." the elder asked  
Kouga was surprised at the request - but because the young wolf had clear and steady eyes, and seemed rather intent on his request he asked "Why?"  
"Because you are Kouga of the Eastern Den, the strongest of the wolf-tribe wolves, the first to make it to the daiyoukai status in centuries." the kid answered "because I know I'll grow strong too with you."

"You are still a child, why would you want to grow so fast?"  
"Shinta and I are orphans." the young wolf explained "And even if they don't say it, I realize that taking care of us is hard for the den." his eyes hardened "We are orphans because with the perpetual corrupted youkai attacks, our parent died protecting us, and I don't want anyone else dying to protect us, so I have to be able to do the protecting myself. I don't want to be a burden anymore."  
Kouga turned toward the older alpha that had approached them during the child's impassioned speech "What say you, old man?"

"We'll miss them if they leave." the alpha stated "And taking care of our pup is never a burden." he corrected the boy "But Kai and Shinta will do well by your side, if you'll have them."  
Kouga nodded "It's settled then, come chibi and chibi chibi!"  
"Hey!"

Ayame stepped by her father's side as Kouga and his pack were leaving "We're heading to the area protected by the House of Fang then?" she asked  
"We are." the old alpha sighed "My stubbornness in keeping us our ancestral caves has already costed us too many good wolves." a bittersweet smile "And now, even you are leaving, right?"  
"I'm taking the Coming of Age Trial." the red-headed wolf nodded

"Then you're following him."  
"I am." she confirmed, green eyes determined "I don't need to know anything more about him to love him..." a smile "So now I just have to let him know me, and hope for the best. That's something I can do only if we're together, so I'll be going, oyaji."  
"Take care of you, musume."  
"I will." she promised


	22. Game On 30 XX The Gates of Hell

**Hi!** Last chapter! I can hardly believe it...

Since i'm going to be busy starting... er today, I'm already late... I'm posting this as is, I'll probably go through it later to check for the multiple mistakes I've no doubt left but I wanted to give you the end before being busy again...

* * *

 **Chapter XX. The Gates of Hell**

The South was very different of the rest of the country in that here, youkai and humans weren't at each others' throat – and as such it was also the region where they encountered the most hanyou, and even if they weren't as integrated as they were in Ryoichi's own era, they were far more accepted than anywhere else they'd traveled until now.  
Then again, Shinobu mused as his tanto made short work of a couple of low-level sea demons, nobody really had time for anything as petty as racism in this region battered by numerous storms – both natural, and demon-made – and full of volcanic activity and geothermal one.  
Here most of the orphans they gathered hadn't been made by conflicts between youkai, or Naraku's damn influence but because of nature's own wrath's or sea demon's assaults.

Of course, he mused as he eyed the blacksmith clearly bearing the feel of corruption face a just as evil lesser ryu youkai, it didn't mean that there weren't bad eggs here and there.  
"So?" Ryoichi asked to Shinobu by his side, whose hand had gone to the weapons in his back  
"Please let me take care of this."  
He nodded, and the young yama neko was gone in the beat of a heart, far faster than he'd been a few months earlier.  
"Oh? Aren't you afraid for your little beta?"  
The red kitsune eyed the presence that had been following them for a few days, hidden well enough that only him could sense it "The brat may not look like it, but he's good."

And Shinobu was good – between the massive level gain from Mont Hakurei and the intensive training sessions he'd suffered through at the hands of both Ryoichi himself, but even an adult Shippou in the future, had made him adapt to his new gain powers, and prove his worth.  
While he may not be an instinctive fighter like InuYasha, Shinobu was an intellectual one – a very good one at that, who needed to be put through a situation but once before learning and adapting – he'd had to be after all, to survive alone for more than a century as a hanyou...  
And indeed, while the corrupted human had swiftly stepped down, apparently thinking the hanyou was there to save him, letting him fight the youkai one on one, it was clear that Shinobu was good.

Swiftly realizing – thanks among other things to the ryu's loud boasting – that the youkai's shield was absorbing his youki, the cat had smiled wildly..  
"Oh So he's awakened his flames, uh? Must have been hiding it for the next spar!" Ryoichi mused with an amused smirk  
"This isn't youki." the auburn-haired daiyoukai mused by his side, now even more intrigued by the fight "  
"It isn't," Ryoichi nodded "This is something even humans can us after all. The power from your own soul, awakened in a time of life and death, and powered by your will to live and fight."

And indeed, purple flames were now swirling around both his tanto, and when he went to attack next, the youki behind his strike had increase several times.  
"He does realize he's only feeding his adversary?"  
Indeed – the shield was glowing more and more as the ryu absorbed his youki – but he hadn't realized that the flame among the youki weren't stopping their work once absorbed...  
"Of course he does," a smirk "Cloud Flame property is propagation after all."

"Oh the little hellion! He's overfeeding it!" the woman realized with wide eyes, gleaming with excitement – and indeed, the first cracks were appearing, and before long the shield was exploding into pieces, its destructive force at point-blank range gravely injuring it's own wielder under Shinobu's satisfied smirk.  
The next second, a blade was thrust into the ryu's body, and youki was swirling malevolently, the blacksmith crowing with glee "It's finally complete! Datsuki, the most powerful youkai bade!"

His victory yell was cut short, and he eyed, unbelieving, the blade coming out of his torso.  
"Ruthless as well, what a perfect little assassin you've raised!"  
"Isn't he adorable?" Ryoichi nodded, in complete agreement with the other daiyoukai  
For in the moment of triumph of the corrupted human, the hanyou had moved behind him so fast the human hadn't even seen him before ending his life before he became a problem.

[ **Secondary quest complete! A blacksmith's life-work...**  
 _You've dealt with both corrupted youkai and human_  
 **Reward:** +100XP, +2 Hunting Trophy, +1Enhancement Stone to be chosen]

"Not going to take the blade?"  
"I don't need something like that." the yama neko denied "Why waste my time with stolen power when Totosai put my own worth into my own claws?"  
Ryoichi nodded approvingly "Indeed. Besides, it's not like you'd just let us take something so dangerous, right, Tsunade-sama?"

"Oh, so you know me?" a dangerous smile "And you don't intent to fight?"  
"I know my own worth." the red kitsune shrugged "I'm good, but not that good."  
"Very wise, kit." the tanuki nodded, leisurely ambling toward the blade still oozing evil youki – and destroying t in one powerful wave of youki, not even bothering to take a weapon out "So, would you mind telling me what you're doing?" she eyed the awed orphans around them "I don't particularly mind, but I must confess to finding myself... curious."  
"I'm taking orphans to the future to save youkai from extinction."  
Shinobu stumbled as his alpha matter-of-factly announced this – then once more when the Lady of the South nodded "I see. Not a bad idea, I must admit. I though you were taking them to one of those Haven that are popping around up north."

"Wait... Why do you believe him just like that?" he couldn't help but protest, eyeing the auburn daiyoukai unbelievingly  
"I'm a Mind-Walker." the Lady answered without missing a beat "Which your alpha clearly knew, as he opened part of his mind to let me skim his surface thoughts when I asked him that question."  
"I have good mental defenses," the red kitsune said "I have to given what I am, so giving out memories is better than completely giving access to my mind."

"I'm not sure even I would would survive a peak in a god's mind, as young as he is..." the other daiyoukai hummed her agreement, then eyeing the children around them "Well, I've got nothing better to do for a while, so I'll be traveling with you!"  
"Of course..." Shinobu sighed, not even surprised anymore – a few minutes were all that was needed to realize that the tanuki was both strong-headed and lackadaisical, and would do exactly as she wanted  
And given her powers – she could easily afford to.

¤.¤.¤

Still, as easy-going as she was, Tsunade was a powerful being in her own right, far more powerful, just like Ryoichi had said, than both of them combined, and as such their traveling only got easier, as she clearly approved of their quest.  
The Lady also wasn't as carefree as she was pretending, as she was attentive to any sign of sea demon, cutting through the would-be invaders of her lands ruthlessly, and helping people around when then passed through villages.

"You are helping people a lot for someone saying everyone should be able to take care of himself?" the yama neko hanyou couldn't help but ask after they spent a day helping rebuilding huts in a village that had been hit by an earthquake  
"People have to be able to take care of themselves." she nodded in confirmation "Because you can only help others when you're good enough to take care of yourself. When I was but a simple youkai, there were countless of people dying from the sea demons, or natural catastrophes, and I escaped multiple times only by the skin of my teeth... So after a while I realized that I had to grow stronger, because in this land, only the strong survive."  
A shrug "But now, I'm strong enough to do whatever I want. And if what I want to do is helping people? Then I'll help them." she gestured toward the village "But tomorrow I won't be here, so if sea-demons attack, or another earthquake occurs, it'll be up to them to survive."

Shinobu nodded his thanks at the explanation, then turned his attention back to the children's lessons.  
The South was strangely harsh, for a land so lush and full of life, but it made for strong people – and that was a strength both physical and mental he mused, because the Lady's attitude toward life he could see, if on a lesser scale, even among the lesser youkai and the humans they were encountering.  
It was a few days later, while they were making halt in a village, that the sky was suddenly covered in a swarm of lesser bird youkai, led by a young daiyoukai – on her order, the birds were rushing toward the village, only to stop as Tsunade flared her aura.

"I see you're at it again, Abi."  
The girl's eyes widened, but despite her fear she did not back down "They are only humans, Tsunade-sama!"  
"And they are also inhabitant of my lands, just like you! If you need blood so much, make yourself useful and go and kill some sea demons. Or are you that weak that humans are the only thing you can prey on?"  
The young daiyoukai bristled at the taunt but answered all the same "I'd never get enough blood fast enough!"  
"Why do you need blood?" Ryoichi wondered

The young girl eyed him suspiciously – but her mind was an open book, and as such it was the Lady of the South that answered "Her mother bit on larger than she could chew and got poisoned. She's trying to dilute the poison."  
The red kitsune eyed the girl thoughtfully, and Shinobu sighed before protesting "We're collecting orphan's alpha, orphan's! What part of that don't you get?"

"Ah but she's feisty and she's got potential, I like it!"  
"Should you really talking about anyone else but your fiance like that?" the hanyou wondered, before correcting himself "Who am I kidding, she'd probably react exactly the same way..."  
"What the hell are you talking about?" the young daiyoukai finally snapped, fed up of the two ignoring her  
"Well, I could heal your mother so that you don't need to butcher senselessly anyone around." he eyed her "But if she'd encouraging you to do things like that, I doubt she's a good role model, so I'd have to take custody of you of course." he affirmed shamelessly – while his beta was muttering about him not being a good role model for anyone

"That sounds perfect!" Tsunade nodded over the young daiyoukai's protests, better imperiously ordering the girl "Well, what are you waiting for? Take us to your mother! I'm curious to see if dear old Tekkei survives long without your brain!"  
"My mother isn't stupid!"  
"Pah! If she wasn't stupid she wouldn't be incessantly waging war against those she shouldn't." the smile on Tsunade's face was anything but friendly "After all, do you think I don't know the idiotic chicken of death was planning to attack me after taking over the bird tribes?" a laugh, before she eyed Abi "Tell me girl, do you really think she'd stand a chance, even with all of your little flying pets at her beck and call?"

The bird of hell hime didn't answer – but she couldn't quite hide her answer from her face, making even the children realize that she didn't think this was a fight her mother would be winning.  
"Then be grateful the kit is offering you an out. I'll even let you take the House of Fire headship once she's managed to hit the bucket in one stupid way or another, instead of erasing your whole clan from existence. Well, the head of what will be left of your clan..." she amended herself after a second "After all I can't account for the stupidity of the rest of your clan."

The hime wasn't stupid – and while had no real desire to abandon her mother, she also did realize in how bad a position she'd put them with her scheme against their leader – a leader well know for her lack of mercy against those stupid enough to try and oppose her.  
Tsunade may be kind with those around her – that kindness died a swift death when her own life was in the balance, as just like she'd said, she would only afford to be as kind as she was powerful.

So the princess nodded her head in defeat, and led them toward the mountain, where Ryoichi was soon flaring his Sun Flames under her stunned eyes, the bird of hell in her true form, as big as the mountain itself, soon visibly healing, blue fire coming alive around her body as her strength was coming back.  
And the second she was fully healed, she took fly with a cry of victory, flames burning brightly around her and rushing toward her savior.

"How utterly stupid..." Ryoichi commented as the fire simply died around him  
"Impossible!" the daiyoukai protested "This is a fire no mortal can survive!"  
"Trying to use the fire of hell against the brother of Life herself is rather stupid." the red kitsune informed her "Something a youkai linked to hell like you are should have realized!" he added with disdain, before turning toward Tsunade,completely dismissing the other daiyoukai "Seems like you were right, the mother is really stupid. I wonder how she managed to produce a daughter as powerful and intelligent."  
"A mystery I still haven't pierced." the Lady of the South announced with a melodramatic pout

"Attack!" the furious bird ordered  
The birds seemed torn – some of them immediately following their leader into battle, but a handful knowing better and staying by their hime's side.  
Those stupid enough to attack died in show of golden fire and thorny vines in function of whether they'd attacked Ryoichi or Tsunade – Tekkei dying both thorn into pieces by the tanuki's vines and burnt to ashes by the kitsune light and divine powers enhanced fire.

 **[Secondary Quest Complete! The Fire Hime...**  
 _You've dealt with the House of Fire menace_  
 **Bonus goal:** you've sparred the House of Fire Heiress  
 **Reward:** +100XP, +1 beginner skill book unlocked  
 **Bonus goal reward:** +250XP, +1youkai-made armor piece to be chosen]

On Abi's brown, a blue tongue of fire appeared as her mother died, marking her as the new Lady of her House – a House now reduced to herself and the few beasts that had been loyal enough to her to stay by her side.  
She started blankly at the mountain side where nothing remained of what had been her life until then, then was finally drawn out of her shock by Tsunade curiously asking "Well, what will it be, young Lady?"

"I'm not stupid enough to seek revenge." the daiyoukai answered "While I don't like it, I don't stand a chance if my mother was dealt with so easily, and I do know she wouldn't have died if she'd just refrained from attacking."  
"See!" Tsunade loudly whispered to Ryoichi "I told you! So much more intelligent than her mother!" her eyes were kinder when she stepped toward the princess "I don't like needless death, Abi, I told you so earlier." she gestured around them "I didn't like it when you killed humans, and I didn't like killing your clan anymore. Please keep this in mind, and I'm sure you'll understand one day why did it anyway."  
The dark-haired daiyoukai nodded solemnly to her Lady, before answering honestly "I don't think I can just forget that you killed my mother. But I'll remember."

"You wont ever forget that I killed your mother." the tanuki nodded her agreement "But you've already forgiven the kit, so it's alright." then turning toward Ryoichi "I'll take my leave for now, I think it's better for your newest ward."  
The red kitsune nodded, and while the Lady of the South was slipping in her true form and disappearing fast, he was shepherding his newest misfits toward their next destination, Abi falling into step with them without even a protest, her bird's youki swirling before they disappeared in an unearthly black rift.  
"They went back to hell." she informed the curious cat "You looked like you wanted to ask."  
"I did." Shinobu admitted "I'm also wondering... You didn't protest when Tsunade-sama said you've already forgiven alpha. Why?"

"Because she was right. Your alpha kept his word, and healed mother despite clearly not liking her, he only attacked once she attacked. Had mother refrained, he wouldn't have done anything. I know the Lady of the South would have killed my mother, be it today or another day." a shrug "The fate of anyone plotting against her is death after all."  
"I don't really get it..." the yama neko answered honestly "I mean, be it today or another day, she'd have only killed your mother as long as she'd betray her." a shrug "But emotions aren't always logical, so I guess there's no helping it."  
The hime giggled at the affirmation, rather amused by the rather honest opinion – where normal people would have either faked sympathizing with her or showed her no compassion at all, he'd both made known her realize that he empathized with her loss, yet didn't regret it, given that the target of her mother's attack had been his own leader.

In the weeks that followed, the hime adapted herself to her new life, far different from her previous one – and if, just like Kurama before her, she had trouble understanding why the kitsune was going to such length for a bunch of children he'd never met before, she was, contrarily to the youko, willing to learn.  
Because she had witnessed what happened to those that didn't learn with her mother's demise, and had no intention of going the same way – and while for now it was simply the will to survive that was driving her, even Shinobu realized that day by day she was starting to take more interest in the orphan's daily lessons, then getting to know all of them, and starting to care.  
And if for now, she was only caring because she knew them, she would realize in time that you didn't need to know people to care...

It was because she was adapting to her new life that Abi realized just as well as Shinobu that their leader was getting restless, and making them travel a bit faster than usual...  
"This area is dangerous, Ryoichi-sama." the hime informed the kitsune as they headed deeper into the volcanic area  
"I know." the alpha nodded, frown marred with worry "But we're meeting peoples there."  
"Oh, so it is time then?" Shinobu realized

"It is." the red kitsune nodded as the hostile youki that had been swirling ahead for a while suddenly disappeared completely, overpowered by a feeling the bird of hell recognized easily  
"A path to hell was opened!" she affirmed with wide eyes "One far larger than anything I could manage..." she added with a whisper "This... Were the Gates of Hell opened?"  
"They were."Ryoichi confirmed as they arrived in front of the mouth of a large cave "Now, we wait."

* * *

¤.¤.¤

* * *

Sesshoumaru hadn't wasted anytime after his daughter's pack left, immediately heading toward Nikko area.  
Totosai was waiting for him even before he'd even stepped on the mountain "You've came for you coming of age blade, eh?"  
"Will you craft it this time?"  
The old youkai peered at him with a pensive hum, before turning abruptly, heading toward his forge and gesturing for the inu to follow.  
"Your father had one last test left for you, but honestly I don't think you need it." a snort "After all you do already realize that a coming of age blade's worth and power is not simply proof of the worth of the blacksmith who crafted it, but more of a reflection of your own true power."  
The daiyoukai merely nodded at the statement.

"Still, I confess myself intrigued... You seem... in a hurry?"  
"One of chichi-ue's unfinished business is coming up again Sesshoumaru admitted  
"And you feel you'll need your own blade for that..." the blacksmith realized "So be it then."  
A fang and three days later, and the daiyoukai was slipping the new blade to his waist, and taking his true form, traveling South, Ah-Hun carrying both Rin and Jaken in tow.  
"To think both of your brats have surpassed you, Toga..." Totosai commented with a nostalgic smile

¤.¤.¤

Tsukiko would have let the matter of InuYasha's previous travel to the region rest – if not for the foreign youki that had recently awakened in her beta's back, making the hanyou antsy as he tried to resist the call...  
As such she'd taken her uncle to the side one evening "You're going to have to tell me what happened fifty years ago, oji-san, because even I can feel that this annoying thing on your back is calling you."  
The hanyou opened his mouth to protest – and relented, going over how during their travels they'd taken a boat to head south, and him and Kikyou had become lost in the mist, only to eventually approach an island populated by hanyou.

They had been careless, the miko's attacked by a bloods-stealing youkai why himself was assaulted by a fire youkai who'd left behind this mark on his back.  
"These hanyou... They were all brats, and apparently, all were the slaves of those youkai bastards." InuYasha shrugged "But by the next morning when we tried to go back to the island, it had disappeared, and the mark on my back became dormant."  
"Well if the mark has awakened, I guess we can safely assume that the island is back too."  
"It's no like we have any time to waste with side trip."

"Then we'll hurry." the young ookami stated, eyeing his back with a wrinkled nose "After all we've got to get rid of this eyesore. And of the one who dared put a fucking slave mark on my beta."  
"Wasn't your beta back then."  
"So?"  
Seeing there wasn't convincing his niece of anything, he held his hands in surrender "Alright I get it!"  
"Beside, don't you want to know what happened to those hanyou?"  
"Feh. I guess."

With that, the Moon Hime had awakened Kagome and Miroku "oji-san and I have a small errand to take care of." she informed the too "Kagome, you take care of the pack, Miroku, you'll guide them."  
The two holy servants shared a surprised glance, but nodded, and soon both uncle and niece were rushing through the black flame Tsukiko used, Padfoot by their side – they were nearing the coast, and the origin of the call when Tsukiko's acute senses made her realize another daiyoukai was catching up with them.  
Having felt them too, Sesshoumaru was soon coming down, seamlessly dropping out of his true form, while Tsukiko could now feel Ah-Hun taking another direction – carrying the Lord's charge and retainers toward her own pack she realized.

"Chichi-ue." Tsukiko greeted "You bear the same despicable mark as oji-san I see."  
Both brothers eyed each other, rather surprised – and after InuYasha briefly announced "I was on a job with Kikyou, we found and island where some bastards were enslaving hanyou... got careless..."  
"Two of chichi-ue's retainers came to me to finish of four demons. I declined, seeing ass the West was still too unstable. Rather than for a few decades for the situation to stabilize in the lands they went ahead by themselves. This Sesshoumaru followed the two fools, but it was too late."

The daiyoukai eyed the island that was slowly coming out of the mist "The West is stable enough now." he concluded  
"Well then," Tsukiko nodded determinedly "Let's get to it."  
The three of them were preparing to take off once more when a young but desperate voice interrupted them "Wait! Please take me with you!"  
As the little rushed toward them, her hood falling down to reveal startling features – blue ears clearly not belonging to a human. Seemed like they'd found one the island's hanyou.

"Why?" Tsukiko asked not unkindly, dropping to one knee to get on eye level with the child "Because I don't bear the Shitoushin mark they made me escape to save me!" the crying girl explain "But I don't want to be saved if it means that I"m alone!"  
"Then come." Tsukiko nodded decisively, letting the young child jump in her arms before they finally made their way toward the island "We're here to get rid of them after all." she completed with a smile

They were interrupted by the island's beach by a fiery youkai, with red hair and burning birds around him.  
Sesshoumaru seemed to recognize him, as he stepped forward, new blade swiftly coming out of it's sheath as he attacked.  
"That's Kyoura." the little hanyou in Tsukiko's arms explained "Aren't you going to help him?"  
"He certainly doesn't need it." InuYasha denied "I'm feeling really ashamed of myself to have been hit by that level of skill back then..." he muttered for himself  
"Well, you didn't have a lot of training back then." his alpha commented with an amused smile, patting him on his back "Beside, his powers are sealed..."  
"That's Kanade-sama's work." the girl stated "She sealed their powers and bound them to the island. That's why they're killing us off."

¤.¤.¤

With that she proceeded to explain to them that once upon the island had been a peaceful haven where humans and youkai cohabited, soon producing numerous hanyou.  
But alas, some had taken offense at the village where all were accepted, and so a powerful miko put up a ward cutting the island from the rest of the world to protect them...  
"But every fifty years, it weakens fro a few days, and the Shitoushin took advantage of this to attack us one day."  
Kanade, the miko in question, used the last of her powers to steal and hide the four powerful youkai's powers within the artifact anchoring the wards of the island - but the four youkai hadn't let that hinder them, instead using the hanyou's own life force to gather their powers.  
"But thanks to Kanade-sama's ward, they can only affect the living world and our island every fifty years."  
While the child was explaining this, Tsukiko and InuYasha had felt several other presences making their way to them – the other hanyou, the elder one sharply cutting the girl

"Ai! What are you dong back here, freely sharing our sufferings with outsiders!"  
"They're here to help!"  
"Bah!" it was another hanyou who snorted, echoed by his twin brother "As if anyone would do anything against the Shitoushin!"

Just as he was saying that, Sesshoumaru was making his way back to them, not even giving a last glance at the dying youkai – and on all of those marked, one of the four claw mark disappeared.  
"Tch. Don't mix my brother with you weakling." InuYasha snorted – not realizing the daiyoukai's surprise at the statement  
Never before after all, had InuYasha called him brother...

"Well, the two of you shouldn't have any problems taking out the tree remaining youkai."  
"What'll you be doing?" the inu hanyou wondered, knowing his alpha well enough that he could feel her powers struggling to get out of her control  
"Dropping that barrier." she announced, to the children around them shock" It has not only bound the Shitoushin, but also cut all the inhabitant from the Mortal Realms..."  
"You mean..."

"Souls," she nodded, eyes finally gleaming green "All of the souls of the villagers are still bound here, and the only reason they haven't devolved into poltergeist or gone mad from being prevented from passing on is the fact that they're still out of time."  
"But the Shitoushin will get their powers back if the barrier is dropped!" the eldest of the hanyou protested  
"They have already regained a good part of it." Tsukiko pointed out "By sacrificing your people." a shrug "Beside, even at full power I doubt they'll be much of a challenge."  
"The Shitoushin are powerful! The second twin, who hadn't talked yet, protested  
"They may have been once upon a time,"Tsukiko acknowledged "But they've been cut from their powers for how long?" she reminded them "A youkai very nature is its powers, being cut from your powers... It inevitably weakens you."

With that, she was turning toward the two inu "Have fun, chichi-ue, oji-san!"  
Black flames opened a portal, and Ai rushed by her side "I'm coming!"  
"Me too," the oldest hanyou added, before adding "I'm Asagi by the way. And if you're saying that the barrier is hurting our families' souls... then I'll witness myself the Cauldron's destruction."

The other hanyou nodded and followed along. Tsukiko eyed them with an amused smile "Well, come on then!"  
"How do you know where we're going?" the third girl among the hanyou eventually wondered in a shy voice, as on more portal opened, nearer once more to the artifact holding the wards  
"Your miko was really powerful, and wards cutting a whole island from time and space?" Tsukiko explained "The quantity of reiki is rather staggering, I've that much only once before. Finding the nexus of it is rather easy, she didn't try to hide it at all."  
"You can... feel reiki?" this time it was the goat hanyou who dared to speak

"I am a miko." she indicated – no point in denying her holy powers when they'd soon witness her use them  
"Bullshit!" one of the twins called lightly – before yelping as she zapped him lightly, just enough for him to recognize the energy used  
Whatever more would have been added was put on hold as they'd reached a large cave, clearly man made as there were steps leading to a large stone door intricately engraved.  
Tsukiko let her powers free, empowered by the simple proximity of the artifact holding the wards, making all the child gaze at her in wonder.

Around the island, she could feel the thousands of souls cut from Death Islands – but also Sesshoumaru and InuYasha battling the now two remaining Shitoushin without any real problem.  
And from without the wards, the hidden power of the youkai.  
"Padfoot, you take care of them."  
The Grimm nodded, and shifted from the rather normal size he was at to the larger battle-form he'd taken to use just like Kirara did.

"When the wards go down, the whole while probably become unstable." she warned the children "I'm sure you'll all be able to fit of that big lump."  
Her partner whined at the appellation, before eyeing the six hanyou children and, reiki swirling around, growing even larger, before laying down to let them climb on...  
"I knew you were just lazy!" Tsukiko laughed before stepping toward the door, who seemed to naturally open under the influence of both her reiki and youki  
She stepped in the furnace inside, before finally arriving at the bottom of the volcano, where one more soul was lingering...

¤.¤.¤

"You are the miko Kanade, right?" she realized  
"I am." the voice held a smile "And you are here to take us."  
"It's past time.  
"It is..." a sigh "I did all I could to save them, but instead I condemned them all to a cruel death didn't I?"

"Not all of them," Tsukiko corrected gently "And without your actions, they'd have died anyway." her tone grew more chiding "Cutting the island from time and space was pretty dumb thought, but what's done is done, so there is little point in worrying about it anymore."  
"I understand that now." the miko admitted, having been one of the souls trapped by the island for a long time  
With that, a small comb box appeared on the lava, brimming with malevolent youki "Here, I've been hiding this for all this time..."

"I'll take care of it." Tsukiko confirmed "You just go ahead and rest now." she concluded gently  
With that, reiki evolved into divine powers, purifying in an instant the stolen youki, before breaking thought the barrier, the island finally rejoining once more the Mortal Realms, the countless souls swirling around her as she stepped out of the volcano, before finally passing on with a last farewell to the last children of their village, Kanade showing them the way...  
Around them, just like Tsukiko had warned, the small island was crumbling and falling into the waters of the bay.

Among the falling remnants, InuYasha and Sesshoumaru had both finished their opponents, making the last of the revolting mark disappear – and an incredulous twin whisper "We're free now?"  
"We are." his brother nodded, just as disbelieving "But now what?"  
"Now you live."InuYasha answered gruffly "The South isn't as intolerant as the rest of the country.3 he informed them "As long as you pull your weight, you'll be accepted here."  
"Or I can take you to my fiance," Tsukiko added "he takes care of orphans."

"What about you?" Ai was the one to boldly ask  
"We're heading into battle." Tsukiko announced gently "I can't even guaranty that my pack will get out it in one piece..." she admitted with a tired sigh  
"So the time has come?" Sesshoumaru remarked  
"The last shard is in the daiyoukai graveyard." InuYasha answered "We'll finish things there."

"I see." the daiyoukai nodded, before eyeing the children who were looking torn "My lands are much less tolerant than the South." he warned the children "And I do intend to see this fight to it's end," he added toward his daughter, who nodded her acknowledgment "But this Sesshoumaru isn't weak enough that he can't manage to protect a few pups while witnessing a battle."

The six hanyou shared hopeful glances, taking the strange statement for the invitation it was, and all nodded enthusiastically.  
"Well, let's get back to your pack, musume." Sesshoumaru stated, as serene as if he hadn't gained six new hanyou charge  
"Can't believe that bastard..." InuYasha was muttering to himself as they were once more slipping in and out of the black flame portals – but despite the gruff insult, it was impossible to miss the clear approval in his tone and gaze

By the time they met up with their pack, it was mid-morning the next day – and while a bit surprised, they hadn't made a fuss about the fact that Sesshoumaru was suddenly traveling with them, a pack of children in tow...  
And if they still looked with gratitude at Tsukiko, it was rather evident that under Rin's lead, the six hanyou were soon becoming Sesshoumaru's pack – whether he liked it or not.

It was a few more days after that that Kouga caught up with them, the wolf too having gained new pack-mates in not only Kai and Shinta, but also Ayame, who'd just as she intended had gone brilliantly through the Coming of Age Trial, gaining alpha marks before swiftly catching up to him, boldly daring him to get to know her – something the young alpha had to admit he'd been rather impressed with.  
With their sibling-pack finally present, Shadow's pack was soon finishing outlining the plan that had been coming together, and Yule was soon looming upon them...

¤.¤.¤

 **[New Life Quest! The Longest Night...**  
note that the War Time Map System has been enabled for this event  
 **Goal 1:** complete the Shikon no Tama **  
Goal 2:** purify the Shikon no Tama **  
Goal 3:** take back Naraku's Shinzou  
 **Goal 4:** deal with Naraku  
 **Goal 5:** survive the night  
 **Bonus Goal:** gather War Points (WP)  
 **Reward:** +2000WP per goal,  
 **A Voyage's End** (+10 to all Resistance skills) Perk unlocked upon Goal 1 completion, **The End of the Endless Circle** (+10 YinYang, Light and Dark affinity) **Perk** unlocked upon Goal 2 completion, **The Weight of a Soul** (+10 to all Awareness skills) **Perk** unlocked upon Goal 3 completion, **The Mind of the Spider** (+10 to all Ground skills) **Perk** unlocked upon Goal 4 completion, +2000XP and **Chaos** **Game** update upon completion  
 **Bonus Reward:** +1000XP for each 2000WP gathered,  
+1 Enhancement Stone to be chosen for each 5000WP gathered,  
+1 beginner Tail skill book for each 10 000WP gathered,  
+1 Tail Perk for each 25 000WP gathered]

 **[Allies acquired (Mezu and Gozu): 2*500WP]**

Naraku smirked as Kagura made her way back to him, the wind sprite not even bothering to hide how much she loathed being at his beck and call "They've arrived."  
"Perfect."  
he gestured for her detachment to follow him and approached the viewpoint he'd made her scout earlier, eyeing with both hate and amusement the group approaching the two gigantic stone statues framing the circular gate giving off an off-worldly feeling.  
"Ask Kagura, I know you want to."  
"Why are you letting them go first?"

"Because there is only one way to make the Gate of Hell open..." he explained as a few meters below the two statues awakened  
 **"Do you wish to pass?"**  
"Feh! Why do you think we've come all the way here for?" InuYasha answered brashly "Of course we wish to pass!"  
The two guards were now moving, weapons in hand **"Then try to pass."  
"This gateway is a place where only the dead may pass."  
"And thus, those who wish to pass will die by our hands!"**

The Kaze no Kizu was cut, making the ground around them shake as rocks were coming out of the cave's walls – bu the two guardians remained untouched.  
 **"Futile."  
"We cannot be slain by a sword of this world."  
**"And now that they've started to move," Naraku smiled from his spot "Gozu and Mezu won't stop until the Gates have opened and closed again."  
Down with the pack, Miroku opened his kazaana, making the ground shake even more violently, but the two guards themselves, barely moved by the powerful curse, simply turned their attention toward him **"Do you wish to pass too?"**  
"Don't!" InuYasha protested loudly as the houshi opened his mouth to answer "No point in giving them more targets!"  
The holy servant looked like he wanted to protest, but relented, stepping down.

While by the moment Naraku's smile was widening, growing madder, the spirit was more and more worried as the hanyou kept on fighting alone, soon gaining one wound, then another – until finally, with blood pouring from one large wound, he didn't get up again, and the large Gate started to open, Kagome primal wail of despair mixing with Naraku's mad laughter...  
With a gesture, a swarm of youkai were rushing through the light, making Naraku nod with satisfaction, and the evil hanyou stepped forward "I'm going ahead, you play around with them, we wouldn't want these idiots to get in my way now, would we?" a contemptuous look at the crying girl and shell-shocked friends around her "Then again I doubt they'll be in any state to stop me, I'll take care of their share of the shards when I'm back."

 **[Hidden Life Quest complete! Biting the biter...**  
 _Naraku has taken the bait_  
 **Reward:** +800XP per goal,+1 Soul Token added to Inventory]

 **[Trap successful (InuYasha's fake death): +500WP]**

¤.¤.¤

"Well," Tsukiko commented, stretching lazily "That's done with."  
With that, the illusion around her pack shimmered and fell, revealing a healthy InuYasha, and a weary Shippou and Kanna "You did well."  
The two children smiled at the praise, but weren't in a state to even answer – it had taken all they had to weave the illusion around them, an illusion that had to be powerful enough to fool all of Naraku's senses, but also gloss over the incoherence of the scene, like the fact no one had helped the hanyou, something that would have never happened in reality...

Thankfully that point had been easier to make the spider believe, thanks to his own egoistical ways – illusions did play with someone's mind and vision of reality after all, it was easier to make to someone self-centered that other people were just as bad as him.  
On top of it, the two Mist Flame users also had to make hanyou gloss over the pack's composition – making the man pass over Kouga's pack as if they weren't even there and much more difficult, making him see Miroku when the houshi was absent.  
Kagura was stunned as she watched the illusion drop, wondering with a bit of hope if that could mean...

"Come sister. It's time."  
Her eyes widened at the confirmation, and without any further hesitation, she stepped down from her feather, coming closer to the pack.  
"Kanna used most of her powers maintaining the illusion," Tsukiko announced "so I'll be the one powering up this."  
This, the wind sprite realize – was the large ritual circle already drawn on the ground, hidden up until now by the illusion.  
The alpha turned toward the rest of her pack, Kagome and InuYasha at their head "We'll be going ahead, Tsuki-chan." the miko said with a smile  
"Be safe." the ookami enjoined them before turning toward Kanna and Kagura

Within moments, the cave was empty of all but the three women and Shippou, the kit visibly longing to be going with his pack but not even able to move so tired he was,even if he was getting better by the moment.  
Kanna was swiftly disposing of her top, making Kagura realize that the other sprite's body was covered in runes, drawn in what could only be blood – an impression confirmed the next moment when the ookami came toward her, swiftly helping her out of the upper half of her kimono, and with a rapid gesture drawing blood from her and starting on drawing new runes.

Soon, Kagura and Kanna where in the inner circle of the ritual elaborate diagram – and Tsukiko was freeing her aura, **Past Life** aura unleashed and empowered by the nearby open Gate to Tsukiko's own realm...  
Kagura's mind was taken to that day she had fled, leaving the girl by her side behind, so sure that she had been killed by the terrifying power – but now, as the power was hugging them, she wasn't afraid anymore, not even of the death that was coming her way to free her.  
Because in the ritual circle, it was impossible to hide your feelings, and she could feel not only Kanna's own determination to save her from Naraku, her sister complete lack of intention of ever controlling her like their father, but also Tsukiko's alien mind and feeling, so clearly not a being on the same level at them, yet with intense feelings, worry at her pack-mate that by now were all facing their destiny, determination to save her simply because her canine instincts told her she shouldn't have to suffer at the hands of her own father, simply because her understanding of elements told her that the wind shouldn't be caged... Simply because she could, so why shouldn't she?

And finally Kanna was by her side, dagger slashing through her throat with a decisive gesture despite the terror in her eyes, and Kagura felt herself die for a moment – before the whole ritual circle pulsed, green glow of the goddess receding to be replaced by the red glint of the blood around them, now pulsing to a new rhythm...  
Kanna's heartbeat, now tying both sisters' life.

 **[Goal update (7/9):** +25XP  
 **Hidden bonus goal complete!**  
 _Kagura's life is now entwined to Kanna's freeing her from Naraku_  
 **Hidden bonus goal reward:** +1000XP, Kagura unlocks **Chaos** ' **Game** light version]

 **[New ally acquired (Kagura): +500WP]**

Tsukiko smiled at the two sisters leaning against each other – and sent a brief message.  
A moment later, Ryoichi was there, helping her move her three pack-mates toward the camp Sesshoumaru had established, and where his own misfits were already taking their place...

¤.¤.¤

Kanna and Kagura were soon placed in a bedroll, both sisters having passed out in the few moments it'd taken to carry them from the cave – and Tsukiko turned back, ready to meet up with her pack, only to be stopped by Shippou "I'm coming too, alpha."  
She eyed the weary kitsune, but couldn't deny him – after all, she was the one who'd taken the kit on the dangerous roads of their quest to complete the Shikon no Tama and kill Naraku, how could she deny him now that the end had come, no matter how weakened he was?  
So she nodded, and held out her hands toward his, before flaring her black flames, the unearthly power taking them directly toward the in-between...

 **[Avengers Assemble (your forces are gathering in the In-between: InuYasha, Kagome, Sango, Ginta, Hakkaku, Kai, Shinta, Ayame: 8*500WP]**

Once they'd entered the area between the Mortal Realms and Hell, the large group had immediately split up, Kouga's pack starting to dispatch the intruding youkai while Kagome and InuYasha started to make their way discreetly toward where the miko could feel the last shard – and finally Sango tracking down Naraku...

 **[First Wave Attack Successful (Wolf-tribe against Youkai Swarm): 5*500WP]**

InuYasha and Kagome had soon realized that they were heading in the direction of a familiar gigantic skeleton – somehow, it was looking like the last Shikon shard had ended up hidden into the Inu no Taishou's grave...

 **[Infiltration Successful (Kagome and InuYasha entered the In-between undetected) :2*500WP]**

And indeed, the were soon near the large carcass of InuYasha and Sesshoumaru's father – with one notable difference since the last time they'd come here...

 **[Last Shard found first: +500WP]**

 **[Avengers Assemble (your forces are gathering in the In-between: Tsukiko, Shippou: 2*500WP]**

"You... Your life isn't quite over yet," Tsukiko voice commented as the goddess appeared by her two pack-mates side, Shippou in tow "So why are you here?"  
The crystal skull embedded in Toga's armor came to life, diamond shards growing around to let him come near the four pack-mates "Seishi-hime, what an unexpected visit."  
"You are Housenki the Jewel Youkai, right."  
"Indeed I am. As for what I'm doing here..." he explained "Right by the time I could feel my life coming to an end, I happened to get my hands on a Shikon shard."

"An untainted one..." Kagome unwittingly interrupted, rather surprised at that fact – but clearly seeing the pure shard hidden within the youkai's own body  
"Indeed young miko." he confirmed, not taking offense at the interruption "I am a Stone Spirit," he went on revealing "which is how I can grow my own gems for my craft... It also means I could feel the shard's intent."  
"The shard's intent?" Kagome repeated, confused  
"It's intent, yes. You must have realized by now that the Shikon no Tama has it's own will."

The miko nodded – that much had been clear after hearing the stories of Midoriko and Kikyou...  
"The shard I had found was still pure, but could feel that more and more shard were gathered by a man of great evil, and becoming tainted. The shard was starting to fear that once the jewel complete, it would be engulfed in darkness..."  
"And to prevent this, it asked you to take it to a place the living couldn't reach."  
"That it did, Seishi-hime. As such I used the last of my pearls, and came here, to protect the shard and wait for my own time."

"You did well," Tsukiko smiled "but your mission is over now."  
"What do you mean?"  
"Naraku is coming as we speak," a ferocious smirk "and his intent may be to steal you shard, this isn't what is going to happen."  
"Do you think the little miko's power will win against that sheer evil intent?" the spirit asked, doubts clear in his voice "Even as weakened as she is?"  
"She will." Tsukiko nodded with full confidence – while InuYasha was focusing on something else

"What do you mean, weakened?"  
"Well it's evident," Kagome was the one to answer "I'm a priestess for Life Inu. It means that my powers are always amplified, because the Mortal Realms are her domain... But here so close to Hell, Tsukiko may become more powerful, it's the exact opposite for me."  
"You knew..." the hanyou realized, eyeing both girls "You knew, yet let us go ahead with this plan..."

"Because Miroku was right, and it's the best occasion we'll have to finish this once and for all, InuYasha." Kagome answered the unasked question "Don't you believe in me?"  
"Keh! Of course I do!" the hanyou huffed, slightly embarrassed at the admission, before turning back toward Housenki "Hear this old man?"  
"I do." the spirit nodded "And I'll fight by your side." he completed, while the diamond spars around his head rearranged, letting something drop into Kagome's hands "I can feel your resolve echoing in those shards around your neck, little miko..."

 **[New ally acquired (Housenki): +500WP]**

Sango had done her job well, catching with Naraku and baiting the hanyou into attacking her – and when the message came from Kagome, subtly letting herself getting pushed back, fleeing in the direction the miko had indicated...  
Within minutes, she was arriving by the Inu no Taishou's grave – and InuYasha, seeing her arrival was taking over the fight, letting the hanyou tajiya breath a bit.  
"So you had managed to survive, eh?" Naraku realized "I must confess to find myself relieved by this. After all... I wanted to kill you myself!"

"Keh, you say this now yet you've always sent your children do your dirty work!" the inu hanyou taunted, Kaze no Kizu rushing toward the spider – any damage done immediately regenerating itself "But then again," he added as Miroku, Kouga and Hakudoushi stepped out of Padfoot's shadows "I guess you don't have any of those left!"  
Eyes widening with fear, Naraku stared at the houshi with hatred - at the houshi, and at the baby he was holding in his arms...

 **[Goal update (8/9):** +25XP]  
 **[Goal complete!** +  
 **Goal update:** Kill Naraku]

 **[Child of Naraku killed (Byakuya): +500WP]**

 **[Trap successful (Akago captured): +500WP]**

Panicking as he was, Naraku didn't stop to wonder just why they had bothered with capturing the child where he'd hidden half his soul, instead lashing out violently at all of them, miasma oozing around him, contaminating all the area...

¤.¤.¤

While the rest of the pack was starting the trap by faking InuYasha's death, Miroku had been following Naraku's last children, focusing on the feeling of the half-soul, Kouga and Hakudoushi in tow.  
The priest had been rather surprise at their latest addition asking to come along, but then remembered that the young youkai was in a way twin with the fundamentally evil baby they were after and as such hadn't protested.

 **[Infiltration Successful (Miroku, Kouga and Hakudoushi found Akago and Byakuya undetected): 3*500]**

Kouga attacked first, Goraishi tearing into Byakuya – only for his target to dissolve in mist, leaving behind a white flower, as Naraku's last children had managed to dodge.  
"Well, this isn't something Naraku or you had predicted." he commented at the baby he was holding in one arm, sighing "What now? I'm not much of a fighter."  
Indeed – the next few minutes made the fact abundantly clear that Byakuya, while far from bad, just wasn't a warrior at heart, and soon he was failing to dodge Kouga's claws, then, in one last attack, the illusionist stopped moving, knowing he was dying.

It was then that Miroku approached him, while Hakudoushi himself was taking the baby he'd been a half of once upon a time...  
"You don't want to die, yet you never expected to live," Miroku remarked "why is that?"  
"Well it's evident right? That Naraku made me to be used, nothing else, tying my life even more closely to him, leaving to room to rebel..."  
"Yet you don't feel resentful."

"It was my purpose in life." a shrug "And I'd have died at the same time as him anyway, like I said, I'm not like my siblings... Oh well, it was fun while it lasted..."  
Miroku kept his eyes on the dying youkai, witnessing the moment his spirit left his body – and holy powers flaring around him, neatly catching it before it could dissipate into nothingness and tying it to a shikigami.

"You say that our alpha is too kind," Hakudoushi remarked as he walked back toward him, Akago in his arms "but it seems to me like her attitude is catching..." a wry smile "but somehow I can't get myself to see this as bad." then unceremoniously dropping the baby in the older man's arms "Here, take that," he said with distaste "I'm done with it."  
It was only then that Miroku understood the rather evident reason why the young daiyoukai had asked to come along – a rather evident reason, in retrospect...

The child of Naraku had changed since they'd welcomed him in their pack, growing tremendously in those few weeks – in terms of skills, but much more importantly in his own understanding of feelings.  
Hakudoushi had wanted to confront his twin – to reassure himself that he wasn't that bundle of evil anymore, and the two sharing the gift of delving into others mind, it had been as easy as sharing a glance with the baby...

And now, Kanna's brother knew without a doubt – that he wasn't like that anymore, and he barely could bear the idea of touching the baby a moment more than necessary.  
"There was never any doubt." Miroku commented to the young daiyoukai as Padfoot opened a path of shadows in front of them  
"I know that now..." the white-haired boy nodded, a thankful smile on his lips for the pack's unwavering faith in himself he hadn't had himself until now

 **[Goal 3 complete!** +2000WP, **The Weight of a Soul** (+10 to all Awareness skills) **Perk** unlocked]

 **[Avengers Assemble (your forces are gathering in the In-between: Miroku, Hakudoushi, Kouga: 3*500WP]**

Miroku turned toward Tsukiko immediately while Naraku started his rampage, the goddess aiming gleaming green eyes at the baby that was still trying to flee despite his powerlessness.  
"I guess Naraku wasn't stupid enough to give you any mean to defend yourself?" she commented, amused  
"Naraku is nothing more than a puppet now that he's made me!" the baby protested, voice echoing in their mind

"Indeed." Tsukiko nodded, amused "But that puppet is far more powerful than yourself right now." she mater-of-factly stated, before turning toward her childhood friend "Are you ready?"  
A decisive nod – and suddenly, the fighters that had been moving around seemingly randomly were all attentive once more, InuYasha finally unleashing the Tessaiga's Bakuryuuha, Kagome's reiki flaring in three distinctive colors, her arrow following the path opened by the hanyou's blade...

Naraku's body was blasted apart, but this time was having difficulties regenerating thanks to the combined powers of Kagome, Kikyou and Midoriko's reiki.  
Tsukiko handed the baby to Kagome, while turning her attention back toward Miroku "So, you've brought another guest?"  
The priest nodded, handing her the shikigami where Byakuya's conscience laid dormant...

"Since he doesn't have a soul, he's bound to disappear..."  
"And you don't want that."  
"Byakuya may have obeyed Naraku, he wasn't an mindless evil best like some of his siblings were..." a sigh "But he was also made with no survival instinct, making him indifferent toward life at best."  
"To best control him." Tsukiko nodded "An illusionist who didn't see the point of reality..." her powers swirled around the paper charm "It's too late for him, he's got no body anymore..."

[ **Hidden bonus goal complete!**  
 _Byakuya's gained a place in the reincarnation circle_  
 **Hidden bonus goal reward:** +1000XP]

"But we can at least give him a second chance at life." she smiled, her priest nodding thankfully by her side – Miroku hadn't doubted after all, that she would understand his own desire to save the last child of Naraku, and do so where he himself couldn't

¤.¤.¤

The battlefield hadn't stopped while the goddess was acting, Naraku still trying to regenerate...  
And suddenly, Naraku's power was growing once more - this time around the baby in Tsukiko's hand, the spider hanyou taking back his own heart in an attempt at defeating the reiki rampaging against his youki...

The hanyou's own barrier was soon violently pushing away everyone around him, letting him finally regenerate his body, never noticing his enemies satisfied smile as they all got up, weapons in hands...  
"Fools!" he laughed "You'll never beat me now!"  
And it was clear indeed that the intense aura of evil the hanyou was oozing had grow several times worse in that instant...

 **[Quest Complete! Free as the Wind...  
** _All of Naraku's children fate is now out of the hanyou's hand_  
 **Reward:** +25XP, +1 beginner Elemental skill book]

 **[Trap Successful (trick Naraku in taking back his soul): +500WP]**

"Naraku, you're going down now!"  
The hanyou wasn't stupid enough to let himself hit a second time by the dangerous reiki, and dodge immediately, preferring taking a hit by Sango's Hiraikotsu rather than risking Kagome's power.  
"You are just an eyesore!"  
And finally, the hanyou realized the other downside of taking back his soul...

"Impossible!" he protested as he realized that once more, he couldn't attack the dangerous miko  
"I was kind enough to give you back all of your soul before you die." Tsukiko informed him "Despicable intent, and crippling weakness along with it."  
Under the countless assaults, Naraku was finally understanding that he'd fallen in a trap – that none of them had any intent of letting escape this time...

Flaring his youki, he called to himself the swarm he'd sent ahead of him – only to let out another yell of rage as what came to his call were but a few handful, only the more powerful youkai having survive the wolf-tribe assault – and said wolf coming right behind the escaping yokai.  
"Where is his half of the jewel?" InuYasha wondered, as he realized that Kagome was striking yet for a good reason  
"I don't know. It's inside him... but not there at the same time..." the miko tried to explain, confused  
Her confusion ended a few moment later, when with a shout of "You want a fight? I'll give you a fight!" Naraku was changing

"A true form, eh..." Tsukiko commented "Because he cut himself from his human heart for a while, ha managed to develop one, eh..."  
Indeed, the dark-haired hanyou had transformed into a gigantic spider, and finally, Kagome could feel where his Shikon half was, deep within the youkai's body  
"It's no good," Sango was remarking after a few minutes of harrowing battle "each time we cut a piece, another one is regenerating!"  
"Even aiming at the youketsu is no use," InuYasha was adding "his damn barrier is protecting them..."  
"That's because his half of the Shikon no Tama has become even more powerful thanks to his own tainted heat." Kagome commented with a frown "But the jewel is only strengthening him to make use of him..."

¤.¤.¤

"Because it wants to be completed once more." Housenki completed  
"Well then..." Kagome commented "Why not grant its wish?"  
"That is a dangerous move you're planning, little miko." the old stone sprite commented, yet clearly seeing her intention "Not only will you have to purify both Naraku and the jewel at the same time, but in success like in failure, you'll still find yourself right in the middle of all that power..."  
"I know." the miko nodded, having already realized that this wasn't something a simple arrow would achieve  
No – she and her half of the Shikon no Tama had to spear-head the attack, putting the two half of the jewel so close that they would naturally attempt to unify once more.

 **[Avengers Assemble (your forces are gathering in the In-between: Kanna, Kagura: 2*500WP]**

 **[The Gang's Back Together Shadow Pack and Tsume Pack have all made their way to the In-between): +1000WP]**

"If this is the best way, then we'll all support you."Kagome's eyes widened, as the two weary sisters appeared – Padfoot by their side  
Tsukiko couldn't help but smile at her familiar's actions – of course, the Grimm had felt the two's awakening just like she had, and their regret at not witnessing this to it's end. And so the mutt had taken the matters in his own pawn, and gone to fetch them...

"I'll take care of that barrier." Housenki announced "Just concentrate on your own goal, little miko."  
Kagome nodded, putting the bow back to her Inventory – instead getting out the much more familiar nanigata, realizing with surprise that it was already humming with a familiar power...

She glanced at Tsukiko, who smiled back "Well, it is made from my own fang..."  
"Then I'll be borrowing your power, Tsuki-chan." the futuristic girl announced, eyes full of determination  
"Please do so." the ookami confirmed

 **[Kagome's Nanigata gained divine attribute (Shadow's power enhancement activated when not in the Mortal Realm): +1000WP]**

"It'll be up to us to once the path to the jewel once the barrier is down." InuYasha concluded easily enough, before turning toward Kouga "Your claws are up to cutting some youketsu?"  
"Do you even need to ask?"  
"Feh. You better keep up, you mangy wolf."  
And indeed, the two canine alpha had rushed as one as soon as Housenki's attack was unleashed, a shower of sharp diamond spears showering the spider, pummeling his shield that was soon cracking, and falling...

InuYasha and Kouga were rushing from one youketsu to another, each strike destroying a part of the spider's body, Miroku following behind with his purification powers to slow the regeneration, the rest of the fighters sparing no pain to cut back the large target before it could grow back.

Kagura, Kanna and Hakudoushi were staying by Kagome as she rushed toward the spider's body, opening the way for the miko – and soon, all could feel the call of the two half, power rippling around Naraku and Kagome in wave of battling reiki and youki...

 **[Goal 1 complete:** +2000WP, **A Voyage's End** (+10 to all Resistance skills) Perk unlocked]

Naraku's mad yell of triumph was mixed with Kagome's scream of pain – and in the maelstrom of power, both hanyou and miko were facing each other, the gigantic spider around them but an empty puppet getting wilted down by Shadow and Tsume pack while two's were battling for the completed jewel possession, the Shikon no Tama floating at the heart of the maelstrom, hoovering between both of them.

¤.¤.¤

"Oh poor miko, you've done exactly as the jewel wanted!" the mad hanyou laughed "And with us a new circle will start, we'll be together fighting for eternity!"  
"The jewel never had what it wanted!" Kagome contradicted "Oh it tried, sure enough! But Midoriko put a stop to those youkai evil by sacrificing herself to create the jewel, and Kikyou herself stopped the jewel from gaining what it wanted by taking it with her in death!"  
"Ah but it came back with you didn't it?" Naraku – had gone completely mad under the Shikon no Tama's influence, Kagome finally realized, startled

Because, intelligent as he was, the hanyou had realized he was getting manipulated by the evil half of the jewel – and so, powerless to stop it, he instead surrendered to it...  
"You should give up too, miko!"  
"I won't!" she denied  
Jabbing her nanigata in the ground, but not letting go of it, she let the powers of three different life swirl around her in the maelstrom of power – and suddenly, felt a familiar presence by her side.

"You've come to die together?" Naraku taunted at InuYasha, who'd indeed managed to make his way to them, battered and blood by the power's assault, but there nonetheless  
"As if!" the inu hanyou contradicted "I'm here because there's nowhere else I'd rather be." he said to Kagome "So let's get that bastard once and for all."  
"Let's." the miko nodded, suddenly knowing what to do

After all – Midoriko's and Kikyou's powers weren't the only powers she was linked to...  
Her pack-mark shone a silvery light as she felt all the people who'd touched her aura – all of her pack-mates youki and reiki mingling with hers, then Kouga's pack, and even, more faintly, Ryoichi and Sesshoumaru's packs, not quite siblings, but there all the same...

 **[All is one (enemies of Naraku's powers combined): +1000WP]**

"This circle of destruction ends now!" the miko affirmed, as both youki and reiki combined around her, blasting through both the Shikon no Tama and Naraku himself in one last blazing show of power "Youkai and humans weren't made simply to fight endlessly, and we won't just lets some old fashioned souls resisting death dictates our life and fate!"

 **[Life Quest Complete! Lie's Weaver**  
never again will Naraku's manipulate people  
 **Reward:** +50XP, +1 Pack Mutation unlocked]

 **[Goal 2 Complete:** +2000WP, **The End of the Endless Circle** (+10 YinYang, Light and Dark affinity) **Perk** unlocked  
 **Goal 4 Complete:** +2000WP, **The Mind of the Spider** (+10 to all Ground skills) **Perk** unlocked]

Countless youkai souls tried to escape, as the combined power of Reiki and youki finally overcame the centuries old jewel – but the maelstrom of power had been taken over by Kagome's own attack, and there was no escaping anymore...

¤.¤.¤

Finally, silence replaced the raging power, and all fighters settled down by Toga's body, strangely still intact despite the scenery around them clearly having suffered from the battle...  
"It was a good fight." Housenki commented, satisfaction but weariness too audible in his voice "I think it's time for me now..."  
The spirit closed his eyes, one last time – pulsing diamond now still in death, a last shower of dust falling on all of them...

 **[Hidden Quest Complete! The death of a warrior...**  
 _You fought by the old spirit through his last battle, letting him move on without any regrets_  
 **Reward:** +2000XP, **Housenki's** **Legacy** (+10 to Earth Affinity, Physical Resistance and Wards skill) **Perk** unlocked]

After that, Tsukiko had opened a portal, and they'd all tiredly trudged through it, and back to the Mortal Realms, where only Sesshoumaru and Ryoichi were still awake – even if it was clear from their posture that Shinobu and Abi had been waiting until recently too...  
"It is done." the Lord of the West affirmed rather than  
"It is." his daughter nodded tiredly  
"We felt your call." Ryoichi added, talking to Kagome  
"Thank you for answering."

The red kitsune nodded, and assessed the fighters – while none had escaped Scott-free from the hours long battle, none were mortally wounded, and while he'd liked to heal some of the worst injuries right now, he could see that all of them only wanted to sleep...  
Without immediate healing, quite a few wounds would heal – but it was clear that none of them cared, and so he let them go, instead curling against his fiance, letting his Sun Flames heal at least her...

InuYasha was reluctant to let Kagome step away from him, even to sleep "I thought the Jewel would take you away..." he whispered eventually "And I don't think I could live through something like that a second time..."  
The miko's eyes widened at what was as good as a declaration for the hanyou – then nodded with a light blush, and settled to sleep in his arms.

"Took those two long enough." Miroku mumbled, amused  
Only for Shippou to sent a weak fire flare toward him "You're one to talk houshi."  
The holy servant eyed his now scar free hand, and admitted with a smile "I guess you're right."  
Sango smiled as his eyes met her, no words needed.

Soon all were asleep, and as the night ended, nobody was awake to witness the multiple notifications announcing the end of their adventure – they would only find them when they woke up, nearly a whole day latter...

 **[Goal 5 complete!** +2000WP]  
 **[Life Quest Complete! The Longest Night...**  
total WP: 27 500  
 **Reward:** +2000XP, Chaos Game updated!  
 **Bonus Reward:** +13 000XP, +5 Enhancement Stones to be Chosen, +2 beginner Tail skill book to be chosen, +1 Tail Perk]

 **[Welcome to Chaos Game 3.1!]**

 **|New log entrance:** System updates highlight

(note that all changes can be accessed from the Log)

 **Leveling System update:** leveling range has been upped to Level 900.  
Past the level 300 and Ninth-Tail, Tail Perk won't be gained by leveling up anymore, instead a new system of Mastery and Specialty has been enacted  
 **Mastery System unlocked:** Four Mastery emplacements have been unlocked, becoming available at level 1, 300, 600 and 900. Each Mastery will grant a CP bonus per 20 level and some unique Perk and Abilities  
 **Specialty System unlocked:** Eight Specialty emplacement have been unlocked, becoming available at level 1 (1 slot), 150 (1 slot), 300 (2 slots), 600 (2 slots) and 900 (2 slots).  
Those Specialty grants a punctual CP boost and unique passive, and can be gained during Quests, Events and other Challenges or thanks to leveling up some Tail Perks.  
The Specialties can be changed up to once a month.  
 **Crafting System update:** unused Enhancement Stone can now be used to give an XP to a Stone in use to help enhance it faster.  
Other that the three actual Enhancement level (normal, attuned and empowered) a new one has been unlocked (legendary). Legendary Stones can only be used on leveling items, and can only be made by hands or gained from some Quests.  
 **Hunting System update:** new dungeons have spawned, with new Bosses available. Each dungeon can be done once a day, and defeating one for the first time will unlock a one time bonus, generally in term of a new item of skill boost.  
 **Political System update:** you can now see your reputation among other factions in this tab, and Reputation can be earned during Quests and Events or simply by performing some actions]

 **[Level up!** You are now level 218!  
+13SP, +4CP, +1PP]  
 **[Level up!** Kagome is now level 192!  
+17SP, +6CP, +1PP]  
 **[Level up!** InuYasha is now level 203!  
+15SP, +6CP, +1PP]  
 **[Level up!** Shippou is now level 189!  
+18SP, +6CP, +1PP]  
 **[Level up!** Miroku is now level 192!  
+17SP, +6CP, +1PP]  
 **[Level up!** Sango is now level 187!  
+18SP, +6CP, +1PP]  
 **[Level up! Kanna** is now level 190!  
+17SP, +6CP, +1PP]  
 **[Level up! Hakudoushi** is now level 207!  
+15Sp, +6CP, +1PP]  
 **[Level up! Kagura** is now level 161!  
+38SP, +14CP, +3PP]

 **[Pack level up!** Shadow Pack is now level 10!]

[InuYasha and Hakudoushi are now Five-Tailed!  
 **Five-Tail Perks**  
 **\- Moon Child:** when in dire situation, the Moon will protect you, unlocks a powerful shield boosted by your **Light** **Affinity** (unlocked by being accept as a full-fledged member of the House of Moon family)(available to InuYasha)  
 **\- Poison Fang:** all your attack can be enhanced by your own poison, unlocks **Poison Resistance** as a fast learning Fighting Skill (inherited from father) (available to InuYasha)  
 **\- Making your own Fate:** you were born a daiyoukai without any attribute, it is time to change that (choose your own specie among daiyoukai) (available to Hakudoushi)  
 **\- Pack Symbiosis:** you learn from your pack mate, unlocks **Elemental** **Manipulation** as a fast learning skill (with an element to be chosen) (available to Hakudoushi)  
\- **Youkai** **Houshi:** You were saved by divine power, granting you the possibility of using reiki (available to Hakudoushi)

 _Available: 2]_

[Kagura is now Four-tailed!  
 **Four-Tail Perks**  
 **\- Pack Symbiosis:** you learn from your pack mate, unlocks **Elemental** **Manipulation** as a fast learning skill (with an element to be chosen)  
\- **Youkai** **Miko:** your life being entwined to one has awakened the possibility in your soul to unlock your own reiki  
 **\- Wind-Walker:** as a wind sprite, you can use the air currents to travel places you couldn't access easily otherwise, or simply travel faster]

 _Available: 2]_

 **[new Masteries unlocked:**

\- **Assassin:** +2Agility, +1 Intelligence every 20 level, +10% damage to your sneak attack  
\- **Rogue:** +2Agility, +1 Strength every 20 level, +10% to your discretion skills  
\- **Hunter:** +2Agility, +1 Wisdom every 20 level, +10% damage to corrupted beings  
\- **Defender:** +2 Endurance, +1 Strength every 20 level, +10% while protecting others  
\- **Warrior:** +2 Strength, +1 Endurance every 20 level, +10% damage with chosen weapon  
\- **Berserk:** +2 Strength, +1 Agility every 20 level, +10% damage when life drops under 50%, +20% damage when life drops under 25%  
\- **Arcanist:** +2 Wisdom, +1 Intelligence every 20 level, +10% to rituals and enchantments  
\- **Strategist:** +2 Intelligence, +1 Luck every 20 level, +10% to your strategy skills  
\- **Healer:** +2 Wisdom, +1 Charisma every 20 level, +10% to all healing done  
\- **Elementalist:** +2 Intelligence, +1 Agility every 20 level, +10% to your elemental damage  
\- **Sage:** +2Intelligence, +1 Wisdom every 20 level, +10% to your awareness skills  
\- **Trickster:** +2 Lu, +1 Intelligence every 20 level, +10% to your illusions and tricks  
\- **Leader:** +2 Charisma, +1 Endurance every 20 level, +10% to your synergy skills

 _Available: 1]_

[New Specialties unlocked:  
 **Evil** **Slayer:** +7 Strength, +5 Wisdom, +10% damage against corrupted being  
 **Shikon** **Hunter** : +7 Luck, +5 Endurance, +10% chance of improved loot  
 **Mount** **Hakurei** **Survivor** : +7 Agility, +5 Luck, +10% HP regeneration

 _Available: 2]_


	23. Game On 30 Epilogue

**And** the end of a story is the but thee beginning of another one...

* * *

 **Epilogue. 1996-1999 After the Story**

It had been quite strange for the pack to realize when they woke up that it was finally over...  
The Shikon no Tama was gone, and Naraku with him – and they knew that for Tsukiko at least, it meant that her travels in the past were over.  
Their return to Edo was slow, the four pack traveling together – no one pointing out that neither Sesshoumaru nor Kouga needed to come.

Ryoichi was gathering even more children than during his trip North, knowing that this may well be the last time he was coming – and praying for what he'd done to be enough to save the youkai...  
They were well into January by the time they reached the small village, and on the way, they'd stopped by Sango's village, and the temple where Miroku's old master lived, to tell them that Naraku was gone.

Finally arriving to Edo, it had been quite clear from Tsukiko's and Ryoichi's face that they wouldn't like the news...  
"The power around the well had weakened," Tsukiko was the one to announce "We can all go home," she added toward Kagome but once back in our time, there will be but one use left to it."  
Kagome nodded somberly, understanding quite clearly what was being said – she had the chance to say goodbye to family, but her next trip to the past would be the last.  
The pack mood was gloomy, as all realized that they were together for the last time in a long time...

"I'm... not coming back just yet," Kagome announced after a moment a reflection "I'll be finishing my training as a miko in the future," she explained to her friends – then turning toward InuYasha "Then I'll come back."  
"We'll be waiting." the hanyou answered easily – then correcting himself softly "I'll be waiting..."

"I... I want to travel." Kagura announced, not really surprising any of them – she was a wind spirit after all "Traveling as a pack... even for those few weeks... It was great in a way I couldn't have imagined before." the youkai admitted with a soft smile "But right now, I still think to find myself, and while Kanna found herself among you, I think I need to so alone..."  
"Then go." Tsukiko nodded with a smile "But know that as long as you wish for, this pack-mark will be there, and you'll have a place among us."

Kanna's choice was – both evident and surprising "I want to finish my training as a miko here." she announced "Kaede-sama said she'll train me..." a smile "Then I think I'll go back to the Sanctuary to help people from there."  
"I'll stay here." Shippou affirmed without surprise, still as resolved as back in Nikko's area "Because we have to built that future you took us to see!"  
"And it's not like the West lacks in jobs to do." InuYasha nodded along

"I..." Hakudoushi was rather torn, a clear proof of how much he'd changed since his birth – finally, glancing at his sisters, he announced to Tsukiko "I want to go with you."  
"There will be no coming back, you realize?" she warned "You'll loose five centuries of History..."  
"I understand that." the daiyoukai nodded "But... while I'll miss the pack, and my sisters... Alpha, you're the one who gave me a life. I want to grow up by your side." an amused smile "I'm already the youngest, so I don't really mind that it will be by several centuries rather than a few months or decades..."

Abi and Shinobu had been deep in thoughts too - realizing that the choice Shadow's pack was making right one was one they needed to go through too.  
And while there was no doubt in the yama neko hanyou that he'd be following his alpha wherever he was going, the young daiyoukai hime was much more hesitant.  
She'd changed already, in the few weeks she'd spent, first which Ryoichi's misfits, than with the four packs traveling together – but she also had a place still in this era, a House, however diminished it was, that Tsunade had let her keep rather than destroy...

Loosing five centuries also meant loosing all her clan History, meant that they would be forgotten and that she'd have to make her own place in the world. And that terrified her – yet at the same time, she wanted to follow Ryoichi just as much as Shinobu did, and the history of her clan was one full of bloodshed she'd come to realize wasn't much to be proud about.  
"I'll come to." she finally made her mind

"We've one request before you leave..." Miroku finally announced, turning toward Sango "Will you wed us?"  
"Will you give your blessing for our mating?" Sango completed with a smile  
Kagome's gleeful squeal was, like always, ear-shattering.

And Tsukiko's smile blinding – even if after a moment she realized "While I'll gladly give my blessing for this mating," she remarked "I'm not sure I'm most indicated to do a wedding?"  
"You're our alpha." Sango contradicted lightly  
"You're my goddess." Miroku added with an amused smile "And a miko in your own right."

And so – a wedding was celebrated in the middle of the snow, all four packs, but also the villagers, Kaede, Kohaku and even Rouyakan and Jinenji attending the simple ceremony – no one having expected reiki and youki to swirl and bind together, leaving behind a wedding tattoo pulsing slightly to the rhythm of both their heart, as if it had been magical vows exchanged rather than a simple ceremony...

¤.¤.¤

Tsukiko, Ryoichi and Kagome's return to the future had been bittersweet.  
In the agitation of the first day, it had been easy to forget that their journey was over – but soon, the days turned to weeks, all the orphans had been settled in new homes...  
And for the first time in a long while, Kagome was going back to school, now enrolled at Mahoutokoro, having to get used to a sedentary rhythm once more, while Tsukiko and Ryoichi were once more going on the hunt, with Ayame and Saiyuri – Shinobu, Abi and Hakudoushi by their side.  
Kagome had a promise to keep, and as such she went through the Standard Course four years by the end of that school year, having already progressed far faster than she'd realized on their journey.

When April came, she enrolled directly to the Holy Servant Specialty course, and was surprise to find Tsukiko with her in the classroom.  
"I haven't done it either." her alpha pointed out, amused "So I might as well." a shrug "Hakudoushi is also starting the Youkai Primary Studies Cycle with Kenshin and Isamu." a proud smile "They are the first of those from the past ready for it!"  
"Of course they are with the House of Moon crazy methods of training!" Kagome laughed, having dropped by numerous time during their training  
"Well, you know how chichi-ue is..."  
"You're just as bad Tsuki-chan."

The three year of studies of the Specialty Course – Kagome managed in two and a half year, and managing to impress her classmates not simply for her status as the Shikon Miko but as a hard-working holy servant in her own right.  
Finally, the young miko had tow things left to do before going back...

"Well?"  
Tsukiko smiled proudly as the pack of young canine in front of her turned as one toward a resolute miko – and youki swirling, she marked Kagome just like Shippou had once upon a lifetime, the lone human among youkai having managed to led them to victory...

 **[Event LV200 Complete! Coming of Age Trial...**  
 _you've proven your worth and completed the hunt_  
 **Reward:** +100XP, **Pack** **Marking** obtained  
 **Bonus Reward:** +250XP, **Alpha** **Marking** obtained, **"Alpha"** title unlocked

 **[** Kagome unlocked **"Alpha"** title  
+1Strength, + 1Agility, +2 Charisma]

The shrine was bursting of agitation by the time Kagome was back home – and the young miko put her weariness to the side – because tonight was All Hallow Eve's night, and she had one last thing to do before leaving.  
Soon, the night was falling, and the shrine grounds, brightly decorated, full of youkai, holy servants and other wizards, the celebrations, she had been told, far more colorful and happier since Ryoichi had brought back so many youkai children, bringing a breath of youth and life to the long-lived and dying race...

As a miko as powerful as she was, it was difficult not to feel the exact moment, when midnight stroke, when the veil became the thinnest – with a smile, she headed to the shrine, and bowing her head, prayed.  
"It's so cute!" a happy voice – and more importantly, powerful presence – was soon making her open her eyes back "I don't think I've ever had a chosen one thank me you know!"  
"You changed my life." Kagome pointed out to the bubblegum-pink haired goddess "It's because you chose me that I met Tsukiko, InuYasha and everyone else... How could I not thank you?"

"Ah but you see, people tend to be afraid of change, and while they can be thankful for what they gain, they still don't think the suffering should have been included in the deal." the goddess explained, used to mortals lack of gratefulness toward her  
"Well I guess free-will does make for a lot of idiots." Kagome mused "But nevertheless, I am thanking you."  
"And going back."

"That too." she smiled  
"Aren't you afraid?"  
"Terrified." the miko admitted "I've tried to avoid looking for my own future... But it's hard not to realize that for most people nowadays, I'm just a mythological figure." her eyes were full of resolve "So I'm afraid of what can happens that make me disappear from History, yes... But the rest of our pack is back in the past, and we'd made a pact." a smile "We'll go thought time the long way, together, and come back to Tsukiko. So History can says whatever it wants, we'll make our own fate this time."

"Then do so." the silver-eyed goddess nodded with a smile

 **[Event (LV:scaled) Complete! All Hallows Eves**  
 _your prayers and thanks were heard by the deities_  
 **Reward:** +100XP, Fate Blessing unlocked]

 **[Holy Affinity updated!**  
\- Fortune Art: 25/25  
\- Sun Art: 15/25 (unlocked by being Light's miko)  
\- Light Art: 5/25 (unlocked by being Light's miko)  
\- Nature Art: 5/25 (unlocked by being Light's miko)]

The next morning, the miko was in front of the well that had changed her life, her family around – but also Tsukiko, Ryoichi, Shippou and Sesshoumaru.  
"Well... This is it." a smile "I'll see you all later!"

¤.¤.¤

Kagome's departure was followed by a rush of power, and they were all soon heading in the Higurashi family's kitchen, sipping tea in silence for a moment before Shippou finally talked "In the three years after you left, most of us split up to each do what we'd decide on the day you left, but we were all regularly in touch thanks to **Chaos** **Communication** **Tab** and meeting every few months, sometimes in Edo, other times in the Western shiro, the tajiya village or the Sanctuary."a smile "At first I was traveling with Inu, Sango and Miroku, traveling around, InuYasha maintaining order as a general of the West and us all accepting hunting contracts. It was really fun, but was coming to an end by the time Kagome arrived."

A pause, as the kitsune was lost in his memories "As luck would have it, we were in Edo when she arrived, Sango and Miroku had dropped by to announce to Kohaku that they would be around for a while..." a large smile "Sango was pregnant, and we'd decided to settle in the Sanctuary for a while." a shrug "Anyway, with Kagome back, she came with us to the Sanctuary, where she soon took on the role of a miko. Miroku, InuYasha and I were still going around, but never staying far too long, because Inu missed Kagome and of course Miroku was worried for the birth of his first child."

"The houshi and tajiya gave birth to a hanyou child who had the same reiki abilities as her father." Sesshoumaru took over "Meanwhile my brother took a few years before finally mating the miko."  
"Those first decades went really fast..." Shippou remembered "We were all saddened when Kaede died, far older than anyone else in Edo, but well, her time had come. Kanna stayed as their miko for a few years, before taking an apprentice of her own and making her way to the Sanctuary. Our own traveling had had a real impact on the country, what with the Havens popping around and Inu and Sango becoming well-known hanyou." a smile "The situation was far better for hanyou by the time the first century had gone by."

"But the first signs of unrest you'd warned us about were becoming visible." Sesshoumaru added "This time, the Cardinal Lords had to listen to my warning, the annoying wolf knowing better than to ignore something you'd told us about."  
"So we started by reinforcing the Haven's wards, then those of the old domains around the country. By the time the Great Disappearance happened, the holy servants and magical beings came to us, as we'd been the first to go into hiding, and between all of us, Supernatural Japan as it is know today was born. But..."

Tsukiko smiled softly at the older youkai that was still at heart her kit – a kit still hurt by something that had happened when she wasn't there, hurt enough that he was foolishly acting as if she would blame him...  
"They were taken too?" she guessed

"The kit was training with Yourei Tasei when it happened." Sesshoumaru answered "And Kagura, from what we know, was somewhere in Europa. But when the Great Disappearance happened... The whole Sanctuary was taken by it."  
Tsukiko sighed.  
She had expected it, somehow, because just like Kagome, she'd realized - that most of her pack-mates had either become mythological figures, or been forgotten by History...

By her side, Ryoichi's hand tightened around hers.

"But they aren't gone." Tsukiko eventually stated  
"They aren't." Sesshoumaru agreed "The family bond isn't broken."  
"Neither are the pack ones."  
"Yeah, he said as much even back then..." Shippou sighed "But... It's been centuries, and we still haven't found them! We still don't know what the hell happened, and where are all those stolen youkai! Where is our pack!"

Putting her own worry to the side, Tsukiko was by Shippou's side, letting the grown kitsune finally break in her arms, and the tears he'd been holding on for so long finally coming out.  
Because Kagura had chosen to leave, and while she may miss them, wherever she was, she was also content with her life, the bond told Tsukiko as much.

But it hadn't been Shippou's choice – the Great Disappearance had stolen his pack, and he'd been waiting ever since – to see his alpha again, to find his pack once more, never founding a pack of his own despite his own alpha mark because he was still hoping for the pack he'd lost...

"Well," Ryoichi pointed out, even him not feeling up to bicker with his father in the state he was in – able to imagine only too well how he'd be feeling if he was in his place "Whatever happened to the Sanctuary, it still exists, but our permanent **Recall** **Point** doesn't work, so it must be out of this world, in a way or another."  
"But is it out of this world, out of the Mortal Realms in general, or even out of time like Hourajima Island was, that's something we'll have to find out on our own." Tsukiko completed  
Shippou nodded, now more collected. And somehow, simply hearing his alpha affirm it with absolute certainty made him believe – believe that once more the young goddess would come through, and their pack would find each other again...

 **[Hidden Quest update! Until we Meet Again...**  
 **First Goal Complete!**  
All the Pack survive through the centuries  
 **Second Goal Complete  
** Shippou and Kagura escaped the Great Disappearance  
 **Third Goal Complete!  
** Shippou met with Tsukiko again  
 **First Goal Reward:** 9*100XP per Tail, +1 Tail Perk  
 **Second Goal Reward:** +100XP, tittle unlocked  
 **Third Goal Reward:** +100XP, +1 Alternate Life Perk  
 **Fourth goal:** find where the Sanctuary disappeared  
 **Fifth goal:** meet with the rest of the pack again  
 **Fourth Goal Reward:** +100XP, +1 Legendary Enhancement Stone upon completion  
 **Fifth Goal Reward:** +100XP, +1 Specialty Emplacement unlocked]

[Shippou unlocked "the lonely Alpha" title  
+1 Intelligence, +1 Wisdom, +2 Endurance]

"See?" Tsukiko smiled "Even they are telling us to find them."  
"Then we better do so." the golden kitsune nodded, eyes shinning just much from tears that from hope "After all, we wouldn't want to anger the gods!"


	24. Game On 31 announce

Hi every one! Thank you all for your PM, reviews, and for following me through these stories!  
The next part in Shadow's adventures is up in **Game On! 3.1  
** Hope you'll enjoy it!


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